Research conducted at USI on influencer marketing wins the SSPH+ Award 2026

At the Annual Meeting of the Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+) — a foundation that unites the public health sciences expertise of 14 Swiss universities, including USI, into a single national interuniversity faculty — held on 23–24 June 2026 at the University of Fribourg, Rida Khan was honoured with the SSPH+ Award for the Best Published PhD Article in Public Health 2026.

Rida Khan is a PhD student at the Institute of Communication and Public Policy (ICPP) at Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and a member of the BeCHANGE Research Group. The study, stemming from research conducted at USI and published in the scientific journal Public Health Nutrition (Cambridge University Press), addresses the critical public health challenge of digital food marketing targeting young audiences. The study, titled "Analysing celebrity and influencer marketing of food and beverages to adolescents on Instagram", was conducted as part of Khan's PhD programme under the supervision of Professor Suzanne Suggs.

This recognition highlights a highly competitive achievement within the Swiss academic landscape: this year, 32 published PhD articles from universities across Switzerland were submitted and rigorously evaluated by an international jury of six leading public health experts.

The award-winning research examines how digital influencers use social media platforms to promote foods and beverages high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS). The analysis revealed that nearly 90% of the products promoted fell into categories deemed unsuitable for advertising to children and adolescents by the World Health Organization (WHO), often masking commercial intent as peer-to-peer recommendations.

“Adolescents are particularly susceptible to social media influence," said Rida Khan, lead author of the study. "When their favourite celebrity or influencer posts about a specific drink or snack, it is not perceived as advertising, but as a personal recommendation. Our research shows that these recommendations from influencers undermine efforts to improve adolescent health and to address overweight and obesity.”

The findings highlight the urgent need to update regulatory frameworks surrounding digital and influencer marketing, emphasising mandatory transparent labelling for sponsored content to protect vulnerable young users.

Read the full study: SSPH+ Best Published PhD Article