“I wanna try it so bad”: How TikTok shapes what teenagers eat — and the role parents can play

TikTok is becoming a double-edged source of nutrition advice for teenagers: the platform can offer recipes, cooking ideas and healthier alternatives, while also exposing young people to dieting culture, unrealistic body ideals and potentially misleading health claims. That creates a complicated environment for adolescents still developing their relationship with food, health and their bodies.

A recent study of teenagers aged 15 to 16 found that food content on TikTok could trigger cravings, encourage young people to try new foods and, in some cases, influence how they eat in an attempt to emulate influencers.