Nearly one-quarter of teens reported using mobile food delivery services during school hours and almost half said they use them after school, according to a national survey of over 1,000 U.S. adolescents conducted in the summer of 2025. The findings were announced on July 27 by researchers who plan to present their results at NUTRITION 2026, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in National Harbor, Maryland.
Among respondents who used such services, nearly 60 percent reported ordering fast foods such as pizza and burgers, while more than one-third ordered sodas or other sugar-sweetened beverages. Researchers said these trends raise concerns about maintaining safe learning environments and supporting healthy nutrition for students.
The online survey included responses from 1,027 adolescents aged 13-17 years across the United States. Results showed some regional variation: students in the western United States were more likely to attend schools that allow mobile food delivery during school hours but also more likely to avoid using these services due to perceived high costs.
Nearly half of those surveyed said they support allowing mobile food delivery during school; however, many—regardless of their stance—expressed concerns about its impact on learning environments and issues such as equity and bullying. "Interestingly, students themselves are divided on whether this should be allowed. Even those who support it openly worry about campus safety and classroom distractions," said Matsuzaki. "It's rare to see teenagers raise flags about their own digital habits, which signals to us that they recognize these platforms are a double-edged sword."
Researchers suggested that schools could play a role in teaching teens how to navigate digital food environments responsibly rather than impulsively. They added that administrators and policy makers might consider using survey data when evaluating campus safety policies or phone-use rules related to outside food deliveries.
"For many school administrators and parents, this study will be a wake-up call, as they may not be aware of this relatively new phenomenon. We hope these findings will bring proactive conversations," said Matsuzaki. Researchers noted limitations inherent in self-reported surveys and indicated future studies could help confirm these findings.
