RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The eating habits of Generation Z have changed a lot compared to other Generations. It is presumed that influencers significantly influence the choice of diet among Generation Z. This study aimed to investigate Generation Z's opinion about social networks and the influence of communication channels, mostly influencers, on the choice of diet. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study included 178 participants born between 1997-2010. It was conducted using the Google forms questionnaire program. Participants were initially asked demographic questions such as age, gender, and physical activity. These were followed by questions about their eating habits, social networks, and influencers. After the survey, the results were analyzed using TIBCO Statistica™ 14.0.0. RESULTS: Out of 178 participants, 59% were female, and 41% were male. Most respondents (60.6%) declared that they eat healthily, and among several options to choose from, most respondents chose options related to a healthy diet. Respondents who care about healthy food often seek information from influencers on social networks. Respondents who declared that they eat healthy most often believe that influencers are a credible source of information (p=0.019) and follow influencers for motivation (p=0.022) and for the information they share (p=0.009). Respondents who declared that they pay attention to calorie intake more often believe that influencers are a credible source of information (p=0.011). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that influencers greatly influence the eating habits of Generation Z and that they are aware of healthy eating habits. Also, those who take care of healthy eating, follow influencers.