The impact of social media food content on university students' eating habits: A case study of Selçuk University

This study was conducted to comprehensively determine the impact of visual and auditory food content encountered on social media platforms on the eating behaviors of Selçuk University students. Adopting a quantitative research approach, data were collected from 500 volunteer participants through a demographic information form and the "Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behavior" (SESMEB). The findings demonstrate that the level of influence of social media food posts on university students generally follows a moderate level (X̄=42.3). While statistical analyses revealed that gender does not create a significant difference in the level of influence (p=0.902), it was determined that individuals in the 23-25 age group were statistically more affected by the content (p=0.031) compared to the 20-22 age group. Platform-based examinations indicated that although Instagram is the most widely used medium, TikTok users possess a significantly higher influence score regarding the transformation of eating habits and the motivation to try new foods compared to YouTube and Instagram users. Furthermore, it was observed that the level of influence increased significantly when daily exposure exceeded the 15-minute threshold, and a positive correlation was found between the frequency of trying recipes and scale scores. Conversely, it was identified that students' viewing motivations (such as learning recipes or relaxation) did not create a statistically significant difference in the level of influence (p=0.153). In conclusion, the research reveals that the food preferences of university youth are shaped by the dynamics of digital platforms, duration of exposure, and visual appeal factors; it highlights that while Generation Z is not entirely defenseless against digital culinary content, they maintain a strong interaction in terms of trial and purchasing behaviors. Keywords: Gastronomy, Social Media, Food Content, Eating Habits, Selçuk University, TikTok