Social media communication and healthy eating behaviour: Facebook for Healthy Eating (Preprint)

BACKGROUND The rise of social media in the health domain renders it a viable alternative channel for promoting health behaviour. Among the social media platforms, Facebook is perceived as an influential factor contributing to positive health behaviour. Literature outlined that social interaction on Facebook seems relevant to the promotion of positive health behaviour. However, details on the interaction and its subsequent impact on health behaviour remain unexplored, particularly healthy eating. OBJECTIVE This research aimed to determine the influence of Facebook social interaction on healthy eating behaviour. Specifically, this research examined the effect of social interaction on healthy eating knowledge leading to healthy eating behaviour. Besides, this research also investigated the effect of a determinant of social interaction, namely social tie. METHODS Adopting the quantitative research approach, data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. The questionnaires were distributed online to those who used Facebook, while its paper counterparts were distributed via snowball, purposive, and convenient sampling. In total, 755 responses were received, 459 responses from the online survey and 296 responses from the paper survey. The structural equation model (SEM) technique was used to assess the proposed research framework. RESULTS The proposed research model showed a reasonable model fit with CMIN/DF = 2.94, GFI = 0.934, AGFI = 0.917, NFI = 0.937, TLI = 0.951, CFI = 0.957, RMSEA = 0.051. All three hypotheses proposed were not rejected. Social tie (beta=.446; P<.001) has a significant positive influence on social interaction. Social interaction (beta=.781; P<.001) was found to have a significant and positive effect on healthy eating knowledge. Healthy eating knowledge (beta=.709; P<.001) influence healthy eating behaviour significantly. The model indicated that 50% of the variance of healthy eating behaviour could be estimated by healthy eating knowledge, social interaction, and social tie. CONCLUSIONS This research pioneered the understanding of the role of Facebook for healthy eating behaviour. Social interaction on Facebook plays a significant role in improving healthy eating knowledge, which affects healthy eating behaviour. This research supports the notion that Facebook has great potential as a means for the cultivation of healthy eating behaviour. This research is noteworthy in its contribution to advancing the discipline of health behaviour with social media applications. CLINICALTRIAL