Media Literacy Practices to Prevent Obesity and Eating Disorders in Youth

Obesity and eating disorders share common issues related to media use and effects, especially in the USA. Current research increasingly demonstrates that media literacy can address this problem. This narrative review highlights current media literacy–based research for obesity and eating disorder prevention among youth.

Current research using media literacy techniques to prevent obesity indicates that these interventions improve nutrition outcomes, improve family communication about food, improve critical thinking about food advertisements, reduce sugar and fat intake, and reduce screen use for parents and youth. In addition, eating disorder research reveals that media literacy techniques lead to higher scores of body satisfaction and self-esteem, with lower scores of perfectionism, thinness, and ideal masculinity.

There is a need for media literacy–based interventions to focus on family communication to prevent obesity and eating disorders. Furthermore, there should be more focus on identified levels of prevention and specific clinical outcomes.