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Introduction
In the last 20 years, China has undergone massive economic and societal changes. The rapid increase of the middle income class has contributed to the introduction of new forms of consumption habits already popular in many Western countries, such as frequently eating at fast food restaurants, excessive amounts of time spent playing computer games, and surfing on the Internet. These habits are associated with higher rates of being overweight and obesity, which can lead to serious health concerns such as cardiovascular diseases or diabetes later in life. In particular, eating at a fast food restaurant increases the intake of high-caloric foods, while computer-related activities reduce the amount of time an individual spends doing physical activities.
These fast-paced changes pose new challenges for the Chinese public health system. Lee ([1]) recognized, for example, that the increase of non-communicable and mental diseases in China, such as obesity and other cardiovascular diseases, requires particular attention. The exponential increase of internet users, especially among the youngest segments of the population, opens the possibility to the investigation of research questions about the effects of new media on health-related behaviors.
In general, a prolonged exposure to new media can affect both the physical and mental health of individuals. In terms of physical health, children and adolescents who spend a lot of time in front of the computer are more likely to reduce the amount of time spent playing outdoor and exercising, thus increasing the likelihood of becoming overweight and obese. Video-game users have also a greater food intake than non-game users due to a sedentary physiological effect. In an experimental setting, Chaput et al. provided evidence that video-game players tended to increase their calorie intake more than non-players ([2]), with an average surplus of 163 kcal. Internet users and online game players are also more likely to be exposed to high-caloric food advertising. The effects of food advertising on health have already been documented for traditional media in both Western and Eastern societies ([3]-[7]), while the consequences of Internet food marketing strategies are still unknown. Food companies use websites to promote high-caloric products to children and adolescents using several marketing techniques like 'advergames' ([8],[9]). Food marketing has been associated with increasing overweight and obesity in children and adolescents ([10]),...