Published Paper Details:

Today's digital age, children are constantly exposed to various forms of media, including television, social media, and online advertising, which often promote unhealthy food options. The objective of this research is to investigate how media consumption influences the dietary preferences and habits of children. The study explores the impact of media on the food choices of (n = 100) school-going children. This is a cross- sectional offline survey of a convenience sample in Tirupur district ( Annuparpalayam , Palladam, Thilagar nagar), including 25 questions regarding topics relevant to media consumption,media influence and dietary choices. The responses of the 100 participants (48 male, 52 female; 6-12 years) were evaluated. The maximum number (52%) of school going children watching you tube than the others. The majority of respondents (46%) indicated trying such foods occasionally, while only a minority (13%) reported trying them frequently due to media influence. Sharing information about diets, healthy eating, or food trends on social media is prevalent across all age groups surveyed, with the highest frequency (50%) observed among school-going children. 77% of the school-going children surveyed indicated that they have purchased or consumed a specific food or drink product because they saw it advertised in the media. In contrast, 23% reported that they have not engaged in this behavior. The findings reveal the significant role of media in shaping children's attitudes towards food, with exposure to unhealthy food advertisements correlating with a higher likelihood of choosing such foods. The study's conclusions state that using the media is one of the main factors which influences food choices among school going children.The implications of these findings for promoting healthier dietary habits among children are discussed, emphasizing the need for media literacy education and policies to regulate food advertising targeted at young audiences.