Unhealthy Snack Consumption Patterns and the Risk of Overweight and Obesity in Adolescents: A Mini-Literature Review

Abstract

Adolescents are a group particularly susceptible to shifts in dietary habits driven by increasing access to high-calorie snacks containing excessive sugar, salt, and fat, yet low in essential nutrients. These changes have contributed to the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity, which has become a significant public health concern in many countries, including Indonesia. This review aimed to analyze the association between unhealthy snacking patterns and the risk of overweight and obesity among adolescents through a mini literature review. Articles published during 2016–2026 were searched through PubMed and Google Scholar using the PICO framework. A total of 20 articles from 12 countries across five continents met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed narratively. The synthesis revealed that snacking frequency, caloric value, and nutritional quality are factors associated with increased overweight risk in adolescents. Snack-dominant dietary patterns increase the risk of excess body weight by up to 1.86 times. This risk is further influenced by the school food environment, snack availability, and family food purchasing habits. In addition, unhealthy snacking that replaces nutritious main meals contributes to a dual nutritional burden. These findings emphasize that improving dietary quality and strengthening school food environment policies should be integral components of overweight and obesity prevention strategies among adolescents.