Don’t miss the recent CPEU article entitled, ‘From Nudges to Noise: Understanding How Food Marketing Impacts Eating Behavior’ by Sara Maksi, PhD, RD. Dr. Maksi is a registered dietitian and eating behavior researcher. The article is featured in the Weight Management DPG Weight Management Matters publication (Summer 2025, Vol 24 No1).
Dr. Maksi writes, “Eating behaviors are heavily influenced by the food environment, a multifaceted system shaped by physical, economic, sociocultural, and political factors. A pervasive and powerful component of this environment is food marketing, which can impact food intake, preferences, and attitudes.” The very comprehensive article presents an overview on food marketing strategies, the influence of social media, food noise, resulting learned associations and ultimately eating behaviour. She encourages dietitians to assess clients’ marketing literacy and to provide education on food noise, the impact of food marketing on their attitudes, emotional responses and ultimately their food choices.
One of the first concepts presented in the Craving Change program is the influence of our environment on our eating habits. Clients learn about our society’s ever-present, persuasive invitations to eat. Food marketing, accessibility, social context, food pricing and variety, and learned associations are powerful factors that are discussed. Clients describe the information as truly eye-opening and experience a reduced feeling of guilt when they recognize why making positive food choices can be so challenging. Heightened awareness of these factors helps clients develop critical evaluation skills for navigating the food environment and increases their eating self-efficacy.
