Digital Diet: How Online Ads Shape Filipino Children’s Eating Habits

Filipino children are growing up in a digital playground saturated with advertisements for sugary drinks, salty snacks, and fast food, a trend that experts warn is fueling a public health crisis. From YouTube videos to Instagram posts, these ads are not just promoting products; they are shaping young minds to crave an “advertised diet” of indulgence and emotional reward, often before children can distinguish between entertainment and marketing.

A landmark Unicef study released in March 2021 paints a troubling picture: 99 percent of social media marketing posts by top food brands in the Philippines fail to meet World Health Organization (WHO) standards for child-targeted advertising. With obesity rates among Filipino adolescents climbing to 13 percent in 2021—up from 11.6 percent in 2018—the influence of digital food marketing has become impossible to ignore.

The Scale of Digital Exposure

Every day, children across the Philippines spend hours on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, where they encounter a barrage of ads for donuts, instant noodles, and chocolate treats. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, over 70 percent of surveyed children reported being online for 6 to 12 hours daily, a habit that has persisted for many. Of the 1,035 ads analyzed by Unicef from leading Filipino food brands, only eight met health standards, while 72 percent were designed to appeal to children and 84 percent to teenagers.

These ads are not mere interruptions; they are woven into the content children consume. Influencers, including popular figures like 15-year-old YouTube star Niana Guerrero, often feature fast food in videos that garner millions of views. For young viewers, these endorsements feel authentic, more like a friend’s recommendation than a paid promotion. As one six-year-old from Cebu told researchers, “I ask mama to buy the Nissin noodles I saw [on] the internet next time we go to the grocery.”

Dr. Emma Boyland, co-author of the Unicef study, explains that digital marketing creates emotional associations with unhealthy foods, linking them to fun, family bonding, and even health. This phenomenon, dubbed “health-washing,” often pairs nutritionally poor products with images of active lifestyles—a milk drink brand showing kids exercising at home, or a processed cheese tied to a sporty family. The result is a distorted perception of food that lingers into adulthood.

An Advertised Diet Takes Root

Beyond simple exposure, experts describe the concept of an “advertised diet”—a media-driven notion of food as exciting and emotionally fulfilling, regardless of its nutritional value. Unicef notes that this diet is “almost entirely unhealthy,” promoted through themes of love, sharing, and celebration. On platforms like TikTok and YouTube, Filipino influencers—many of them teens or younger—feature mukbangs, food challenges, and hacks involving gummy candies, cookie-flavored cereals, and chocolate spreads. These videos present junk food as a source of joy and connection, embedding preferences in children’s minds.

For parents, resisting this influence is an uphill battle. Nadyn Evalles, a mother of five and health teacher, strives to serve fruits and home-cooked meals but admits the pull of advertising is relentless. “Due to social media, my children crave this fast food. These are enticing in children’s eyes, so sometimes I give them what they want” she told Unicef. Even when she prioritizes nutrition, the constant messaging undermines her efforts.

Children, too, are candid about the impact. Eight-year-old Kevin, a fan of donuts and soft drinks, summed up the cycle simply: “I bought this food because I saw it on TV.” His words reflect a broader reality—children form bonds with brands long before they grasp the concept of advertising, a connection that shapes their requests, preferences, and eating habits.

A Growing Health Crisis

The consequences of this digital diet are becoming evident in national health data. Obesity among Filipino children aged 5-10 has doubled since 2003, while the rate for adolescents reached 13 percent in 2021, affecting roughly one in eight teens. Unicef warns that without intervention, over 30 percent of Filipino adolescents could be overweight or obese by 2030. This trajectory places a heavy burden on families and the healthcare system, with long-term risks including diabetes, heart disease, and other diet-related conditions.

Experts describe this as part of an “obesogenic system”—an environment that encourages unhealthy eating and sedentary behavior. Digital marketing is a key driver, amplifying the availability and appeal of junk food. While parents are often held accountable, Unicef Philippines emphasizes that the root issue lies in the food environment itself. “The food industry plays a critical role in ensuring that children grow up with healthier food preferences” said acting representative Behzad Noubary. He calls for collaborative efforts to rethink how food is produced, marketed, and accessed.

Self-Regulation and Its Limits

Currently, oversight of food marketing to children in the Philippines relies heavily on self-regulation by the food industry, with companies setting their own standards. Critics argue this approach lacks accountability, as evidenced by the sheer volume of unhealthy ads targeting young audiences. Unicef advocates for stronger, multi-sectoral action, including government policies to restrict child-targeted marketing of high-sugar, high-fat products and to promote nutritious alternatives.

For now, much of the burden falls on families to navigate a system stacked against them. Unicef suggests that parents and caregivers act as the first line of defense, starting with maternal nutrition to influence a child’s early preferences. For older children, simple steps like encouraging outdoor play, choosing fresh fruits over fruit-flavored snacks, and scrutinizing nutritional labels can help shift habits. Evalles, for instance, bases purchases on nutritional facts, prioritizing her children’s development despite their occasional pleas for advertised treats.

The Role of Influencers and Platforms

The rise of “kidfluencers” and teen celebrities adds another layer of complexity. One in five social media posts appealing to young Filipinos features local stars—dancers, vloggers, and athletes—whose content blurs the line between personal expression and marketing. Children often form friendship-like bonds with these figures, trusting their choices more than traditional ads. When an influencer eats fast food or participates in a food challenge, it feels like a shared experience, not a sales pitch.

Platforms themselves bear responsibility for hosting this content, yet regulation remains limited. YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram are central to children’s daily lives, offering endless streams of engaging, often food-focused videos. Without stricter guidelines, these digital spaces continue to serve as conduits for an unhealthy advertised diet, reaching millions of young viewers with each post.

Looking Ahead: A Call for Change

The stakes extend beyond today’s meals to the very way Filipino children perceive food. If unchecked, digital marketing could lock an entire generation into patterns of unhealthy eating, with ripple effects on public health and economic costs. Unicef’s call for urgent action—spanning policy, industry reform, and community education—underscores the need for a collective response.

As the Philippines grapples with this crisis, questions linger about how to balance digital freedom with child protection. Can platforms and brands be held accountable for the messages they amplify? Will families receive the support they need to counter a pervasive advertised diet? For now, the answers remain uncertain, but the health of a generation hangs in the balance.