{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T06:49:34Z","timestamp":1791355774394,"version":"4.3.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791331200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Nutr."],"abstract":"\n Introduction<\/jats:title>\n Marketing of foods high in fat, sugar and salt shapes the food preferences and intake of children and adolescents. The primary aim of this study was to culturally adapt and validate the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behavior (SESMEB) for assessing the influence of social media on the eating habits of adolescents in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to examine whether this influence differs by sex, place of residence, nutritional status and school attended.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n \n A cross-sectional study was conducted in six secondary schools in the city of Doboj in May 2023 and included 362 adolescents attending the third and fourth grades. The SESMEB scale was cross-culturally adapted into Serbian through forward and back-translation, expert panel review and pre-testing. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach\u2019s alpha and corrected item-total correlations, the factor structure by exploratory factor analysis, and test\u2013retest reproducibility in a subsample of 14 respondents by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Group differences were tested by\n t<\/jats:italic>\n -test and ANOVA.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n The adapted scale showed good internal consistency (Cronbach\u2019s alpha\u202f=\u202f0.865), with corrected item-total correlations from 0.346 to 0.638; the data were suitable for factor analysis (KMO\u202f=\u202f0.857; Bartlett\u2019s test\n \u03c7<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n (153)\u202f=\u202f2312.380;\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f&lt;\u202f0.001). Exploratory factor analysis identified three subscales accounting for 51.5% of the variance, which could not be clearly separated. Test\u2013retest analysis showed no significant difference between administrations (\n t<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.552;\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.591; ICC\u202f&gt;\u202f0.7). Mean scores for all 18 items denoted no perceived influence, with 55.0\u201376.8% of respondents reporting no effect on their food-related attitudes and practices. Girls scored higher than boys for following nutrition-related content (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f&lt;\u202f0.05) and for the increase in the desire to eat (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.048); differences also emerged by place of residence (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.041) and school attended (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.008;\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f0.004).\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n Adopted version of the SESMEB scale is a reliable instrument for assessing the perceived effects of social media on adolescent eating behavior. Most respondents reported no such influence, even though this population is intensively exposed to digital marketing of energy-dense products, suggesting that self-report may underestimate the actual effect of that exposure.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fnut.2026.1935743","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T05:51:05Z","timestamp":1791352265000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Cultural adaptation and validation of the SESMEB scale for assessing the influence of social media on the eating habits of adolescents in the city of Doboj, Bosnia and Herzegovina"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Dragana","family":"Stojisavljevi\u0107","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutrition, The Public Health Institute of Republic of Srpska","place":["Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina"]},{"name":"Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka","place":["Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marina","family":"Joti\u0107 Ivanovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Family Medicine, Primary Health Care Centre","place":["Doboj, Bosnia and Herzegovina"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Biljana","family":"Mijovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Primary Health Care and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of East Sarajevo","place":["Fo\u010da, Bosnia and Herzegovina"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maja","family":"Nikoli\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161","place":["Ni\u0161, Serbia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jelena","family":"Ni\u0161kanovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Banja Luka","place":["Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bojan","family":"Joksimovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preclinical Subjects (Pathological Physiology), Faculty of Medicine, University of East Sarajevo","place":["Fo\u010da, Bosnia and Herzegovina"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","volume-title":"Policies to Protect Children from the Harmful Impact of Food Marketing: WHO Guideline","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref2","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref3","volume-title":"Youth Study Bosnia and Herzegovina","author":"Tur\u010dilo","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.33880\/ejfm.2024130202","article-title":"Assessment of the relationship between social media addiction and quality of life in adolescents","volume":"13","author":"Coskun","year":"2024","journal-title":"Euras J Fam Med"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0162765","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0162765","article-title":"Please like me: Facebook and public health communication","volume":"11","author":"Kite","year":"2016","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"S86","DOI":"10.1079\/bjn20061707","article-title":"What should be the role of the media in nutrition communication?","volume":"96","author":"Fern\u00e1ndez-Celem\u00edn","year":"2006","journal-title":"Br J Nutr"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e13447","DOI":"10.1111\/obr.13447","article-title":"Systematic review of the effect of policies to restrict the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to which children are exposed","volume":"23","author":"Boyland","year":"2022","journal-title":"Obes Rev"},{"key":"ref8","author":"Boyland","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.3390\/medsci7020034","article-title":"Cardiovascular disease prevention in adolescents: eHealth, co-creation, and advocacy","volume":"7","author":"Raeside","year":"2019","journal-title":"Med Sci"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1677","DOI":"10.1017\/S1368980019004270","article-title":"Development of the scale of effects of social media on eating behaviour: a study of validity and reliability","volume":"23","author":"Keser","year":"2020","journal-title":"Public Health Nutr"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"660","DOI":"10.2471\/BLT.07.043497","article-title":"Development of a WHO growth reference for school-aged children and adolescents","volume":"85","author":"de Onis","year":"2007","journal-title":"Bull World Health Organ"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.5539\/ies.v15n1p47","article-title":"Social appearance anxiety, automatic thoughts, psychological well-being and social media addiction in university students","volume":"15","author":"Aslan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int Educ Stud"},{"key":"ref13","first-page":"391","article-title":"A scale development study to determine the attitude of students\u2019 towards social media","volume":"4","author":"Otrar","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Res Educ Teach"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.32394\/rpzh.2024.0295","article-title":"Adaptation of the scale of effects of social media on eating behavior in Hungarian university students","volume":"75","author":"Bay\u0131nd\u0131r-G\u00fcm\u00fc\u015f","year":"2024","journal-title":"Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2129","DOI":"10.2147\/JMDH.S384523","article-title":"The impact of social media influencers on food consumption in Saudi Arabia, a cross-sectional web-based survey","volume":"15","author":"Alwafi","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Multidiscip Healthc"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1002\/eat.23198","article-title":"The relationship between social media use and disordered eating in young adolescents","volume":"53","author":"Wilksch","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Eat Disord"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"180206","DOI":"10.5888\/pcd15.180206","article-title":"Effect of media use on adolescent body weight","volume":"15","author":"Cha","year":"2018","journal-title":"Prev Chronic Dis"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"290","DOI":"10.1017\/S1368980021003116","article-title":"Food for teens: how social media is associated with adolescent eating outcomes","volume":"25","author":"Qutteina","year":"2022","journal-title":"Public Health Nutr"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e12540","DOI":"10.1111\/ijpo.12540","article-title":"The effect of influencer marketing of food and a \u201cprotective\u201d advertising disclosure on children\u2019s food intake","volume":"14","author":"Coates","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pediatr Obes"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.4103\/ipj.ipj_298_23","article-title":"Eating behaviours, social media usage, and its association: a cross-sectional study in Indian medical undergraduates","volume":"33","author":"Sawant","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ind Psychiatry J"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1645","DOI":"10.1007\/s10389-022-01735-x","article-title":"Effect of emotional eating and social media on nutritional behavior and obesity in university students who were receiving distance education due to the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"31","author":"E\u015fer Durmaz","year":"2023","journal-title":"Z Gesundh Wiss"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.1089\/tmj.2013.0092","article-title":"Understanding gender differences in m-health adoption: a modified theory of reasoned action model","volume":"20","author":"Zhang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Telemed J E Health"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.21109\/KESMAS.V15I4.3561","article-title":"Association between social media exposure to food and beverages with nutrient intake of female adolescents","volume":"15","author":"Adiba","year":"2020","journal-title":"Kesmas"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.12873\/422tazeoglu","article-title":"The effect of watching food videos on social media on increased appetite and food consumption","volume":"42","author":"Tazeoglu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nutr Clin Diet Hosp"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"355","DOI":"10.1093\/ajcn\/85.2.355","article-title":"Television watching increases motivated responding for food and energy intake in children","volume":"85","author":"Temple","year":"2007","journal-title":"Am J Clin Nutr"},{"key":"ref26","first-page":"33","article-title":"The relationship between media use and body mass index among secondary students in Kuching South city, Sarawak, Malaysia","volume":"18","author":"Cheah","year":"2011","journal-title":"Malays J Med Sci"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"436","DOI":"10.1001\/archpedi.160.4.436","article-title":"When children eat what they watch: impact of television viewing on dietary intake in youth","volume":"160","author":"Wiecha","year":"2006","journal-title":"Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"913","DOI":"10.1093\/advances\/nmac018","article-title":"Social media and children\u2019s and adolescents\u2019 diets: a systematic review of the underlying social and physiological mechanisms","volume":"13","author":"Sina","year":"2022","journal-title":"Adv Nutr"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1216","DOI":"10.30773\/pi.2020.0007","article-title":"Associations between problematic smartphone use, unhealthy behaviors, and mental health status in Korean adolescents: based on data from the 13th Korea youth risk behavior survey (2017)","volume":"17","author":"Kim","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychiatry Investig"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2298","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2017.02298","article-title":"To message or browse? Exploring the impact of phone use patterns on male adolescents\u2019 consumption of palatable snacks","volume":"8","author":"Teo","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105431","DOI":"10.1016\/j.appet.2021.105431","article-title":"Food and drink marketing on social media and dietary intake in Australian adolescents: findings from a cross-sectional survey","volume":"166","author":"Gascoyne","year":"2021","journal-title":"Appetite"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"602","DOI":"10.3889\/oamjms.2022.9289","article-title":"Correlation between eating behavior and use of social media with energy-dense food intake based on gender among students in Semarang, Indonesia","volume":"10","author":"Muthia","year":"2022","journal-title":"Open Access Maced J Med Sci"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.17645\/mac.v4i3.522","article-title":"Marketing to youth in the digital age: the promotion of unhealthy products and health promoting behaviours on social media","volume":"4","author":"Dunlop","year":"2016","journal-title":"Media Commun"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105765","DOI":"10.1016\/j.appet.2021.105765","article-title":"Social media\u2019s influence on adolescents\u2019 food choices: a mixed studies systematic literature review","volume":"168","author":"Kucharczuk","year":"2022","journal-title":"Appetite"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1186\/s41043-025-01009-8","article-title":"Social media food marketing landscape of children living in republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina: piloting the WHO CLICK framework, results and lessons learned","volume":"44","author":"Niskanovic","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Health Popul Nutr"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Nutrition"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fnut.2026.1935743\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T05:51:06Z","timestamp":1791352266000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fnut.2026.1935743\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]]},"references-count":35,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fnut.2026.1935743"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fnut.2026.1935743","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-861X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-861X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]]},"article-number":"1935743"}}