From viewership to appetite: a study on Mukbang watching prevalence and its influence on hedonic hunger among...

Mukbang, a popular online activity from South Korea, involves hosts consuming large quantities of food while engaging with viewers. Concerns about its potential impact on eating behaviors have been raised, particularly among vulnerable populations such as university nursing students.

This study investigates the prevalence of Mukbang watching and its influence on hedonic hunger, characterized by cravings for pleasurable foods independent of physiological hunger.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 746 undergraduate nursing students at Damanhour University, Egypt. Data were collected through an online survey that assessed socio-demographic information, Mukbang watching habits, and hedonic hunger using the Mukbang Addiction Scale and the Power of Food Scale. Data were collected from December 2024 to February 2025.

The mean age of participants was 21.04 ± 1.55 years, with 68.4% being female. A significant percentage (68.5%) reported watching food-related videos, spending an average of 13.61 ± 42.46 min daily on such content. The mean score for Mukbang addiction was 11.02 ± 4.91, while the mean hedonic hunger score was 39.79 ± 13.41. A positive correlation was found between Mukbang addiction and hedonic hunger (r = 0.136, P < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that daily internet usage (B = 7.85, P < 0.001) and Mukbang addiction (B = 0.35, P = 0.007) significantly predicted hedonic hunger.

The study highlights the prevalence of Mukbang watching among nursing students and its significant association with increased hedonic hunger. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to promote healthy eating habits, particularly in rising food-related media consumption among young adults. Understanding the influence of such media is essential for addressing potential health risks linked to unhealthy eating behaviors.

Not applicable.