Shaniek Parks | After school food reform: Time to tackle the digital diet

Scroll through any social media feed, and it quickly becomes clear: our food environment extends beyond traditional spaces such as the kitchen or school canteen. For many young Jamaicans, social media platforms like TikTok now shape what they eat and which products they trust. Yet, our public health policies have not fully caught up with this digital shift.

The recent launch of Jamaica’s National School Nutrition Policy is an important and commendable step. By setting standards for what is sold in schools, it recognises that food environments shape lifelong habits. It also signals a national commitment to improving child and adolescent nutrition, as we work to turn the tide on obesity and non-communicable diseases in our population.

However, as young people increasingly engage with food online, the policy conversation must continue to evolve. My research with Jamaican youths reveals that digital content plays a powerful role in shaping their food choices. Young people are frequently exposed to marketing for foods high in sugar, fats and salt through engaging content. While many express a desire to adopt healthier diets, it is often felt that current public messages do not align with their everyday experiences.

Other countries have begun to respond to this challenge. The United Kingdom and Chile, for example, have introduced measures to regulate online food advertising, specifically content aimed at young audiences. These efforts underscore that protecting health today also requires paying attention to digital spaces.

By extending our public health focus to the digital food environment, Jamaica can lead the charge in the Caribbean. Such measures can include introducing guidelines for online food marketing and involving young people directly in shaping public health campaigns. Promoting healthy eating cannot stop at the school gate. As our food environments change, our food policies need to adapt as well.

Shaniek Parks is a DPhil candidate at the University of Oxford whose research examines how digital food-related content influences youth. She is committed to encouraging healthier eating habits and curbing the rising rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases among the Jamaican population.