TOPLINE:

Young adults who viewed alcohol-related posts on social media reported a higher desire to drink than those who did not see such posts, especially when they found the influencers credible or had been drinking recently.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers examined whether briefly viewing alcohol-related posts on social media was linked to an increased desire to drink the beverages.
• They recruited 2000 US adults aged 18-24 years (mean age, 21.2 years; 47.2% female) to complete an online survey between August and September 2025.
• Participants were randomly assigned either to view 20 Instagram posts from lifestyle influencers that showed alcohol use or alcohol-promoting images or to view 20 posts from the same influencers without alcohol-related content.
• Immediately after viewing the posts, participants reported their desire to drink. Researchers also asked how credible the influencers seemed and whether participants had seen alcohol-related content before.

TAKEAWAY:

• Participants who viewed alcohol-related posts were 73% more likely to report a higher desire to drink than those who saw non-alcohol-related posts (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.73; P < .001).
• Participants who rated influencers as highly credible were much more likely to report a higher desire to drink than those who did not (aOR, 5.53; P = .004).
• Alcohol use and binge drinking in the past 30 days were associated with 40% and 30% greater odds, respectively, of reporting a higher desire to drink (P < .01 for both).

IN PRACTICE:

“Addressing social media’s role in shaping alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors may be critical for curbing alcohol consumption among young adults,” the researchers of the study wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Scott I. Donaldson, PhD, Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Brunswick, New Jersey. It was published online on February 23 as a research letter in JAMA Pediatrics.

LIMITATIONS:

Individuals who already wanted to drink may have been more likely to seek out alcohol-related posts. The posts were from a small set of influencers on one platform.

DISCLOSURES:

The study received grants from the National Cancer Institute and the Rutgers Cancer Institute. One author reported receiving grants from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.