How are You Receiving Your Health Info? Things to Remember when Scrolling Online

Issues with getting health information online go far beyond self-diagnosing in WebMD rabbit holes. 

By the numbers:

• Over 80% of people between the ages of 18 to 49 reported seeking health information on social media platforms (Journal of Medical Internet Research, April 2024). 

• A recent study from Dublin City University reported that only 2% of the health and nutrition information posted on social media was accurate and true. The researchers conducted an analysis of 67,000 reels and determined that 98% of the content was either inaccurate, partially accurate or classified as uncertain due to a lack of support by scientific evidence.

• The same study also reported 87% of millennials and Gen Z TikTok users used the social media platform to gather nutrition and health advice, while 57% reported that they are influenced by or frequently adopt nutrition trends they’ve found on the platform.  

Discerning accurate information from misinformation requires critical consumption, according to award-winning psychology researcher, educator and author Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe. Here’s how:

Step 1: Challenge the source. Question if this person is qualified or educated to be making the claims. Are they sharing the original source of the information? If you cannot find the actual reference to what they are claiming, that is an immediate “unfollow.” You can also ask yourself, what are they selling or who are they affiliated with? Social media posts are largely an unregulated ecosystem of opinions.

Step 2: Curate a list of trusted sources. Take the time to do your own research on who is a credible account to follow. This is called your Brain Trust. You can depend on these people to share research-informed information that is accurate. And use this list and their insights for educational purposes only. Educate yourself enough to be able to ask the right questions to your own professionals. You should not take or follow any advice from social media without consulting with your own professionals. Even in the best scientific practices, you still need to tailor any intervention based on your unique variables.

Step 3: Acknowledge and recognize the genuine human needs that social media can be manipulating. We have a biological drive to belong. Social media promises connection yet promotes competition and comparison. We are psychologically attuned to learning from one another. It is how our species has evolved, but we need to be careful about who we go to as teachers. We have a physical need to heal, so we seek solutions and remedies. Yet, we must be mindful of whose recommendations we follow.

• Step 4: Know that you are enough. Most of the health and nutrition advice being spewed on social media platforms is rooted in unhealthy, unrealistic, unnatural and even harmful views of the human body. It is a remarkable act of rebellion to not engage. It is also so freeing to walk away from the constant noise and negative messaging that you must fix yourself, change to fit in, or, worse, earn love. You are worthy of love and respect in every and any season of your life and shape.