In recent years, social media has become increasingly popular as a place to share and consume nutrition information. By now, we have all been told not to believe everything we read online. However, when doctors, scientists, professionals, and otherwise credible individuals can use social media to educate and share information, how do we know what we should believe? Today, I want to discuss how we interact with nutrition information on social media and some tips for sifting through the sea of information to find a credible source.
First, it is important to understand why misinformation about nutrition can be harmful and hard to spot. On social media, nutrition misinformation can be disguised by brand promotion or paid ads. In one study, adolescents were exposed to an average of twelve food promotions within ten minutes of scrolling through their social media feeds. Most of these promotions were in the form of celebrity or influencer content. Users who want to sell you something, like a product or supplement, may not be upfront about what is in it and how it will affect your body. Social media is also home to a growing number of “fitness influencers” or “nutrition coaches” (more on that later) who may be trying to get people to follow a workout or diet plan. How diets, supplements, or products are presented can impact how we feel about them and how likely we are to buy them. Companies or individuals can use this to their advantage to get us to buy what they sell, regardless of the health impact. In the case of social media, these things are often sold by picturing them next to “before and after” pictures. Using idealized body imaging to sell something, whether a product or an idea, may negatively affect the body image of social media users. In a way, they suggest that we can look that way if we try their product or diet plan. The groups most likely to be affected by these tactics are adolescents, young adults, and women. Adolescents are the most likely target for food advertising on social media, and young adults and women follow the most nutrition-related content on social media. Those who use social media more are more likely to have body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem and to follow diets they see online. Social media may encourage an appearance-based evaluation of ourselves and others that may make someone more likely to practice restrictive eating or chronic dieting to try and meet a certain standard they see online. Overall, pairing food content with body images may encourage people to eat a certain way to look a certain way. When viewing nutrition information or food content online, it is important to remember that someone qualified to give nutrition information will not try to sell you something, suggest that you eat a certain way, or take a certain supplement to achieve an aesthetic goal.
That brings me to my next point: How do we tell who is qualified to give nutrition advice? One of the most important distinctions is the difference between dietitians and nutritionists/nutrition coaches. Dietitians are medical professionals qualified to treat clinical conditions, provide nutrition recommendations, and have education and licensure requirements. Dietitians must complete a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, a clinical internship with 1000 supervised practice hours, and take a credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian (RD). After becoming registered, RDs must maintain continuing education requirements to ensure they always provide up-to-date nutrition counseling. Dietitians also practice what we call “evidence-based practice.” Evidence-based practice is when nutrition counseling and treatments are based on research and science. Dietitians are trained to perform research and provide recommendations beyond what can be found in a simple internet search. “Nutritionist,” on the other hand, is not a regulated term. Anyone can use this title, whether they have nutrition knowledge or not. People using this title may be interested in nutrition or have experience coaching people in healthy eating habits, but they may not have the education requirements or ethical standards for practice.
So, the next time you are on social media and come across a post sharing diet tips, supplements, or food content, consider the credibility of the account that posted it. Does this user have the qualifications to give nutrition counseling? Is this user trying to sell something or make money? Are they promoting a product that is promising a certain aesthetic result? Is this post talking about food in a way that makes me want to eat differently to change how I look? If so, you may want to take the information with a grain (or shaker) of salt. Lastly, it is important to remember that nutrition information on social media is very generalized. Even coming from a qualified individual, like a doctor or dietitian, every recommendation cannot be the best advice for you. Learning about nutrition online from a credible source is a great way to dip your toes into the world of nutrition, but it is not a replacement for individual nutrition care if that is what you are seeking. If you have a concern that needs nutritional management, seek out the help of a registered dietitian.
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Prepared by Guest Writer: Hannah Byerly, TTU Dietetic Student
For Questions: Mindy Diller, MS, RDN, LD Registered Dietitian
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