The millennials are highly dependent on social media. It is a major source of education and inspiration and a powerful tool that anyone can use. But like all mediums of social media, it also depends on the person who is using it. Social media has both positive and negative influences. This brings us to question, is Instagram, a popular social-networking site, promoting unhealthy eating? People around the world are highly active on Instagram and the feed is loaded with posts of unhealthy food items. Type #foodporn and you will see a wave of posts that have tall, sugary and full-fat freak shakes, the over-the-top massive burgers or even a combination of burger and pizza as one dish. We can’t help but ponder, are we eating to satiate our hunger or just to increase our ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ on Instagram? And how is it directly affecting our lifestyle?

All of us intentionally or unintentionally (which is rare) want to flaunt on social media where and what we are eating. As I write this article, I must admit that I am also a part of this marketing gimmick that we all have fallen for. Restaurants along with the marketers develop drool-worthy recipes to promote their food on social media, to entice people. And punters like us in pursuit of the most Instagram-worthy content want to go ahead and try those larger-than-life food portions to propel thousands of likes, comments and popularity and even our waistlines for that matter. You won’t gush over a salad, no matter how appetising and healthy it would be. But a foot-tall freak shake decorated with extra toppings or a pizza oozing with three-different types of cheese, is surely going to grab your attention.

Are those calories worth eating in one sitting? For example, restaurants who craft specialised burgers, loaded with a juicy meat patty also offer sides like onion rings or fries. Such food items easily contain 2,000 plus calories, much above the permissible limit of a person’s daily calorie intake. Consuming such meals will make you feel bloated as they are high in fat and sodium. They also tend to make you lethargic and are empty calories that add no value to a person’s nutrition. By posting pictures of these extravagant food items, you are not only increasing the likes of your post but are also promoting it to your hundreds and thousands of followers. You are innocently marketing the product and encouraging the respective others to consume the food item.

Promotions of unhealthy products on social media can cause obesity and health diseases in the future. Although occasional indulgence once in two weeks is not harmful. Avoid eating one entire portion all by yourself and rather share it with people. Strike a balance by being physically active to cut down health risks. So folks, next time you go out to a fancy restaurant, remember to choose your food wisely and not just to share it on Instagram.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 27, 2018 05:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).