Researchers at a university in Lebanon conducted a study to examine how images of food seen online influence appetite and eating behaviors. Published findings in Appetite highlight a link between exposure to food imagery on social media and shifts in mood, hunger, and food choices. The work contributes to a growing body of evidence about how digital content can shape daily eating patterns and overall dietary health.
The study recruited sixty-three young adults aged 18 to 24 who were asked to participate in a controlled viewing task. During a 15 minute session, half of the participants scrolled through a feed dominated by images of food items, most of them fast food classics. The remaining group viewed neutral images featuring nature scenes, architectural details, and various animals. After this viewing period, participants completed assessments that measured current mood and self rated hunger intensity. The researchers then observed later decisions by asking participants to select items for a virtual lunch, noting tendencies toward certain foods and meal components.
Results indicated a clear difference between the two groups. Those who saw appetizing food images reported higher levels of hunger compared with peers who viewed neutral content. In the subsequent stage where choices for a simulated lunch were made, the hungry group favored items such as pizza, fries, and burgers more than the neutral group, suggesting that visual stimuli can steer short term food preferences toward energy dense options when appetite is elevated by images alone.
A follow up session a week later swapped the groups’ viewing conditions. Participants who had previously encountered food imagery were now asked to view neutral images for the same duration. After the 15 minute feed, these participants showed a shift in preference toward lighter options such as salads and poultry when planning the virtual meal. This reversal underscores how context and recent exposure modulate eating choices and appetite signaling, even when individuals are not actively hungry at the moment of viewing.
Researchers describe the phenomenon as visual hunger, a response where seeing food can stimulate appetite signals independent of actual physiological hunger. They note that frequent exposure to online content highlighting high calorie, fatty foods can transiently damp mood and amplify cravings for unhealthy items. The implication is that repeated encounters with tempting images may contribute to impulsive snacking and deviations from planned meals, particularly for individuals who spend substantial time on social networks and food related content appears in their feeds.
Exploring prior literature, the study situates its findings within a broader discussion about dietary behavior in modern digital environments. Earlier investigations have addressed questions about how environmental cues influence food intake in workplace settings, among students, and in everyday life. The present work adds a specific emphasis on the immediacy of online imagery and its potential to alter meal planning decisions after brief viewing periods. By showing both a hunger increase and a measurable shift toward particular foods, the study contributes to understanding how digital media exposure intertwines with appetite regulation, mood states, and daily food choices. Ongoing research in this field may help in designing interventions that reduce the impact of unhealthy food cues or promote healthier alternatives in social feeds and digital advertising. The practical takeaway is not to ignore the power of visual stimuli but to develop strategies that help individuals recognize and manage their responses when scrolling through feeds that frequently feature indulgent foods.