1 Research Scholar, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Humanities and Science, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Chennai-600 078, India.
2* Professor and Head, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Humanities and Science, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 6000 078, India. (Corresponding Author)
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Prabhavathy Devi, Email: prabhavathy_devi@yahoo.com
Received: 1st Mar, 2026 | Revised: 7th Mar, 2026 | Accepted: 28th Mar, 2026 | Available Online: 30th Mar, 2026
Background: Today, social media is part of people's everyday routines and has a strong influence on their attitudes, behaviors, and health choices. College students frequently turn to platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok not only for amusement but also as primary resources for dietary trends, lifestyle inspiration, and health-related guidance.
Objective: To examine the influence of social media food vloggers on dietary behavior and lifestyle practices and to evaluate the effectiveness of a Nutritional Counselling Programme (NCP) among college students.
Methods: A study comprising a baseline cross-sectional assessment followed by a quasi-experimental intervention design was employed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through Google Forms to undergraduate students from various arts and science colleges.
Results: The findings indicated that frequent exposure to food vloggers was associated with less favourable eating habits, lower physical activity levels, disrupted sleep patterns, and a higher prevalence of health-related challenges among students. Following the structured nutritional counselling intervention, the experimental group showed significant improvements in dietary habits, physical activity, and overall wellness compared with the control group.
Conclusion: The results show that digital platforms have a major effect on how students live and manage their health. This highlights the importance of offering clear, practical nutrition guidance so that they can better understand what they see online and choose healthier habits.
Keywords: Food Vloggers, Influence, Intervention, Nutrition, Screen Time, Social Media.
How to cite this article: Abirami SP, Prabhavathy Devi. Digital Food Environments and their Association with Dietary Behaviour and Lifestyle Outcomes in College Students. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(4):512-520. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.4.52
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.