Social Media and Food-Consumption in Contemporary Kuwait: Implications for Public Health Policies

In collaboration with Kuwait University

LSE PI: Dr Fabrício Mendes Fialho
KU PI: Dr Abrar AlHasan
Duration: 1 February 2025 - 31 October 2026

Kuwait is facing a growing public health crisis due to a sharp rise in nutrition-related diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. According to the World Bank, the prevalence of diabetes in Kuwait increased tenfold between 2000 and 2021, with approximately 25% of Kuwaiti adults now affected. Furthermore, the World Obesity Atlas 2024 reports that more than 75% of adults in Kuwait are overweight, with nearly half of them categorized as obese. This alarming trend reflects a complex mix of contributing factors, including cultural dietary practices, the accessibility of nutritious food, and significant lifestyle changes.

This research aims to address the knowledge gap concerning the influence of social media on food-consumption behaviors in Kuwait. Specifically, the study will (i) consolidate existing data on food consumption and disordered eating behaviors in Kuwait, (ii) develop a comprehensive data collection instrument tailored to this context, and (iii) generate new survey data, including survey experiments, to build evidence-based insights that can inform public health policies and awareness campaigns. While the primary focus will be on behaviors related to diabetes, other co-morbidities, such as obesity, will also be considered.

This project forms part of Kuwait Programme, funded by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS).

_{(C) Image from Linda Higgs Photography, found on Flickr.}

Project Outputs:

• Mendes Fialho, Fabricio, AlHasan, Abrar. (13 November 2025). When Social Media Meets Food Culture: Kuwait’s Health Growing Public Challenge.
• Hybrid workshop held on Wednesday 25 March 2026, presenting research on the influence of social media on food-consumption behaviours in Kuwait. Listen back to the workshop on SoundCloud
• Dr Alhassan presented at the 12th International Conference on Information Management at Oxford University, titled From Screens to Plates: How Social Media Shapes Food Choices and Public Health in Kuwait, winning best conference presentation
• Dr Mendes Fialho presented Social Media and Food-Consumption in Contemporary Kuwait: Evidence From Online and Face-to-Face Surveys at the 2025 WAPOR Asia Pacific Eighth Annual Conference, 21-23 November 2025, Tokyo, Japan

Principal Investigators:

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  Fabrício Mendes Fialho | Principal Investigator

  Fabrício Mendes Fialho is a Research Fellow at the LSE III Politics of Inequality research programme. His work lies at the intersection of political psychology, comparative public opinion research, and quantitative methodology to examine political attitudes, inequalities, and intergroup behaviour.

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  Abrar AlHasan | Co-Principle Investigator