Where are we receiving our nutrition advice? The ups and downs of social media - by Rebecca Gasche, RD
Having worked in the NHS as a dietitian for 12 years, I have witnessed many changes during that time in the way the population – friends, family, colleagues – receive advice on health and nutrition.
As of February 2025, there were 5.56 billion social media users – 67.9% of the global population. Compared with 2.08 billion in 2015, the growth of and accessibility to social media over the years is clear to see.(1)
A population study conducted by the British Dietetic Association (BDA) in 2017 found that the UK public is uncertain who to trust for nutrition
advice.(2)
58% reported that they would trust advice from a fitness instructor;
41% from a ‘healthy eating blogger’, and;
35% from a ‘TV chef’.
Given the increase in social media usage in recent years, it would be interesting to compare these stats with current opinions, as I would assume there would be an increase in trusting advice from social media/ 'healthy eating bloggers’.
On a personal note, my own friends and family have disclosed that they would seek advice from social media or influencers for dietary and health concerns. The main reasons for this are that they are unsure how to gain access to a registered nutrition healthcare professional, or don’t want to wait for long appointment times. Why wait three months for an appointment with a dietitian when we have a whole world of answers at our fingertips?
The dangers of online nutrition advice
Any social media user can spread nutrition advice. Freedom of speech, of course, nothing wrong with that! However, users can therefore claim to be experts, even if they have no relevant qualifications. If their following is big enough, the message can spread quickly. This can influence vulnerable users and potentially go against regulated advice.
I have seen scientific information shared by social media users/influencers from small-scale studies, requiring further research, or with biased conclusions drawn through cherry-picking points from research papers. This may be completely unintentional, and perhaps due to the user misunderstanding how to interpret scientific evidence correctly. However, it may also be to meet an agenda, with some influencers using said conclusions to promote their own diet plans/fitness regimes, often at a cost.
Robust scientific evidence regarding diet and health often takes many years to conclude, as frustrating as this can feel at times, it is important to take any new piece of research with consideration of the bigger picture. Yes, dietary recommendations may change over time, but recommendations will not change from one isolated or small research paper, no matter how much this is promoted online.
In other circumstances, influencers may be sharing their personal stories – however, what works for one person should not be taken as general advice for the public.
The positives...
Of course, social media is not all bad. Dietitians and other healthcare professionals should lean into the changes in how the population seeks and receives its information. Many registered dietitians are posting via social media platforms or publishing articles in newspapers and magazines, and some are even appearing on television to provide expert evidence-based advice and recommendations.
However, I feel our profession needs to continue to build on these platforms, particularly social media, to help balance out the potential misinformation online around nutrition. The rise in social media usage is a great opportunity for healthcare professionals to get the right message out to the right people and help to debunk nutrition myths that can be found online.
What can we do?
The rise of information gained from social media is not likely to go away any time soon. It is imperative that registered healthcare professionals, such as dietitians, work hard to publish and promote evidence-based information on all platforms for easier access to information. More dietitians working and promoting their work on social media, TV and via news outlets will help spread the message that we are here, available and trusted professionals.
Promotion of dietitians, such as the BDA’s ‘Trust a Dietitian’ campaign, should continue, along with further promotion regarding the reasons why it is important to seek advice from professionals. This includes providing evidence-based practice, having the ability to critique and conclude scientific research and relaying this in an easy-to-understand manner, abiding by governed competencies and a code of conduct.
Additional funding for easier access to a dietitian would also mean the population is more likely to seek professional help. Dietitians working and being based in primary care, for example, would allow for easier access and, therefore, more funding and promotion of these roles is needed.
Lastly, I feel that more needs to be done by social media companies to stop misinformation from being spread on these platforms.
Rebecca is a First Contact Dietitian with Chester South PCN and a Trainee Advance Clinical Practitioner. She is also Practice Officer for the BDA FCD Specialist Group / Prescribing Specialist Group Link.
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