The Public Health Implications of Online Food Delivery Platforms: A Narrative Review

This review summarises current knowledge on the role of online food delivery (OFD) platforms in shaping dietary behaviours, sedentary behaviours and other related health outcomes.

OFD platforms predominantly promote and facilitate access to energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods. Drivers such as convenience, time scarcity, and algorithmic personalisation reinforce unhealthy eating patterns by making less healthy options more visible and accessible. Evidence concerning sedentary behaviour remains sparse. A small number of studies suggest that OFD use may be displacing traditional food procurement behaviours resulting in reduced physical activity. OFD platforms further influence health through environmental, labour, and corporate activities. Despite their growing influence, OFD platforms remain largely unregulated within existing policy frameworks. There is an urgent need for interdisciplinary research, improved methodological rigour, regulatory change, and industry accountability to mitigate the health risks associated with OFD platforms and harness their potential for promoting healthier diets and related health behaviours.