Researchers looked at 11 studies to understand how friends influence what young teenagers eat. They found that when your friends eat unhealthy foods like sugary snacks and fatty foods, you’re more likely to eat them too. Interestingly, trying to get friends to drink more water didn’t work as well as expected. The research shows that friendship groups have a real impact on eating habits, especially for boys. Scientists say we need more long-term studies to fully understand how peer groups affect healthy eating choices in young teens.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How friends and peer groups influence what young teenagers (ages 10-14) choose to eat
  • Who participated: This review analyzed 11 different research studies that looked at friendship groups and eating habits in early adolescents
  • Key finding: Friends’ unhealthy eating habits have a noticeable influence on what young teens eat, with boys showing stronger effects than girls. However, trying to use popular kids to promote healthy drinks didn’t significantly reduce sugary beverage consumption
  • What it means for you: Your friends’ food choices matter more than you might think. If your friend group tends to eat junk food, you’re more likely to do the same. This suggests that healthy eating programs might work better if they involve entire friend groups rather than just individuals

The Research Details

Researchers conducted a systematic review, which means they searched five major scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL Complete, APA PsycINFO, and Scopus) for all studies published between 2010 and 2024 about how peer groups influence eating habits in young teenagers. They looked for studies that used social network analysis—a method that maps out friendships and relationships to see how information and behaviors spread through groups.

The researchers carefully selected only studies that met specific criteria: they had to focus on kids aged 10-14 years, examine peer relationships and eating patterns, and be published in English in peer-reviewed journals. Out of many studies found, only 11 met all the requirements. The researchers then extracted important information from each study, including what they measured, how many kids participated, and what they found about the connection between friends’ eating habits and each teen’s own food choices.

This approach allowed the researchers to combine findings from multiple studies to see patterns and draw broader conclusions about how friend groups shape eating habits in young teens.

Understanding how friends influence eating habits is important because unhealthy eating patterns in teenagers—too much sugar, salt, and fat, and not enough nutritious foods—lead to weight gain and health problems like obesity. If we can identify how peer groups affect food choices, we can design better programs to help teenagers eat healthier. Instead of just telling one kid to eat better, we might be more successful if we work with entire friend groups together.

This is a systematic review, which is a strong type of research that combines findings from multiple studies. However, the quality depends on the studies included. The researchers found only 11 studies that met their strict criteria, which is a relatively small number. Most of the studies were not long-term (longitudinal), meaning they didn’t follow the same kids over months or years to see lasting effects. The researchers themselves noted that more long-term studies are needed to draw firm conclusions. The studies examined two types of relationships: friendships and influential peers (popular kids), but results varied depending on which type was studied.

What the Results Show

The main finding is that friends’ unhealthy eating habits—like eating lots of sugary snacks, fried foods, and salty items—do influence what young teenagers eat. When your friends regularly eat these foods, you’re more likely to eat them too. This effect was stronger in boys than in girls, though both were affected.

Interestingly, the pattern was different for healthy foods. The connection between friends eating healthy foods and a teen eating healthy foods was weaker and less consistent. This suggests that unhealthy eating habits spread through friend groups more easily than healthy ones.

The researchers also looked at whether using popular or influential kids to promote healthier choices would work. They tested whether having popular kids encourage water drinking would reduce sugary drink consumption among their friends. This approach generally didn’t work well. Friends of kids who were encouraged to drink more water didn’t significantly reduce their sugary drink intake, suggesting that this strategy needs improvement.

The studies examined something called ‘reciprocity’ in friendships—whether friends like each other equally. This was common in friendship networks, meaning if one kid considered another a friend, the feeling was usually mutual. However, the effect of being popular (having many friends) on what a teenager eats varied widely between studies. Some studies found that popular kids’ eating habits influenced others, while other studies didn’t find this effect. This variation suggests that popularity’s influence on eating habits depends on other factors not fully understood yet.

This review builds on earlier research showing that peers influence many teenage behaviors, from smoking to physical activity. The findings confirm that eating habits follow the same pattern—friends matter. However, this review reveals something new: unhealthy eating spreads through friend groups more easily than healthy eating does. This is different from what some researchers expected and suggests we need different strategies for promoting healthy foods versus reducing junk food.

The review has several important limitations. First, only 11 studies met the criteria, which is a small number for drawing firm conclusions. Second, most studies were not long-term, so we don’t know if peer influence on eating lasts over months or years. Third, the studies used different methods and measured different things, making it hard to compare results directly. Fourth, most studies were done in the United States, so findings might not apply to teenagers in other countries with different food cultures. Finally, the researchers note that we still don’t fully understand why unhealthy eating spreads more easily than healthy eating, or why boys seem more influenced by peers than girls.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, schools and health programs should consider designing interventions that involve entire friend groups rather than individual teenagers. Programs promoting healthy eating might be more effective if they work with friendship groups together. However, because this is a review of existing studies with limitations, these recommendations should be considered as ‘promising’ rather than definitive. More research is needed before making major changes to how we teach teenagers about healthy eating. Parents should be aware that their teen’s friends’ eating habits may influence their own food choices and can use this knowledge to encourage positive peer influences.

Parents, school health teachers, and public health officials should care about these findings because they suggest new ways to help teenagers develop healthier eating habits. Teenagers themselves might find it interesting to know that their friends’ choices influence their own. However, these findings don’t mean you should blame your friends for your eating habits—it’s a two-way influence. This research is most relevant for people in the United States, where the studies were conducted, though the principles may apply elsewhere.

Changes in eating habits through peer influence likely happen gradually over weeks and months rather than days. If a friend group decides to make healthier choices together, you might expect to see some changes in individual eating patterns within a few weeks, but more significant changes would probably take several months. The research doesn’t provide specific timelines, which is one reason more long-term studies are needed.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your weekly eating patterns alongside a close friend’s or friend group’s patterns. Note how many days per week you eat sugary snacks, fried foods, and how many servings of fruits or vegetables you consume. Compare these numbers weekly to see if patterns align or change together.
  • Use the app to create a friend group challenge where you and your friends set a shared healthy eating goal—like reducing sugary drinks or adding one extra vegetable serving daily. Track progress together and celebrate group wins. This leverages the peer influence shown in the research but directs it toward healthy choices.
  • Over 8-12 weeks, monitor whether your eating habits change when your friend group’s habits change. Use the app to note when friends make dietary changes and track whether your own choices shift in the same direction. This personal data can help you recognize your own susceptibility to peer influence and make intentional choices.

This review summarizes research about how friends influence eating habits in young teenagers. It is not medical advice and should not replace guidance from your doctor or registered dietitian. The findings are based on studies with limitations, and more research is needed for definitive conclusions. If you or a young person in your care has concerns about eating habits or nutrition, please consult with a healthcare professional. Individual responses to peer influence vary, and this research describes general patterns, not certainties for any specific person.