“Shehnaaz Gill sheds 12 kgs by reducing her meal portions and eating only twice a day!” This eye-catching thumbnail on YouTube captivated my friend and led her to drastically cut her diet portions, hoping to achieve similar results. This single real-life example illustrates mass media's profound effect on our food choices, shaping our decisions based on fleeting trends rather than sound advice.
While I write this blog, I am reminded that this wasn't an isolated incident. I have witnessed numerous instances, and I am confident you must have one too, where people, swayed by mass or social media, alter their eating habits without a second thought.
I vividly remember another occurrence, a conversation with our 22-year-old neighbour that left me stunned. When my father questioned his gutka (tobacco) chewing habit, which he has practised since he was 16, he retorted, "Oh, Uncle! Even Shahrukh Khan himself consumes Rajnigandha, so why can’t I?" me and my father, both were taken aback by his justification. It was another stark reminder of how much influence media and celebrities wield over our lifestyle choices.
Today, mass media, particularly social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram, play a major role in influencing our health decisions. Celebrities and social media influencers promoting various food items—healthy and unhealthy—have become a common trend. They are paid for brand promotions, which means the advice they give isn’t always grounded in nutritional science. Fitness influencers, too, advocate different diets and fitness regimes, and while some offer valuable, informed insights, others might not provide scientifically backed advice. Podcasts have also emerged as a platform for such persuasive content. For example, popular podcasts like The Ranveer Show feature diverse guests sharing health tips, but these suggestions may also often lack reliable evidence despite their widespread popularity.
With all the exaggerated diet advice out there, a new diet trend is created every few minutes, and we naively adopt whatever new diet advice sounds "right" to us.
This phenomenon isn’t just anecdotal. Research shows that social media influencers significantly impact health outcomes, especially among teenagers and young adults. A study published in January 2022 found that popular personalities frequently post images of harmful and unhealthy foods and drinks on Instagram. With their considerable influence, they may be promoting diets that contribute to diabetes and obesity.
Influencers advertising unhealthy foods and diets have been shown to increase children’s immediate energy intake. Exposure to idealised influencer’s body pictures also often leads to negative impacts on body image and mood. Most studies on this topic cannot be generalised and have methodological limitations. They consistently highlight the significant role of social media in shaping our health and lifestyle choices. Interestingly, the physical fitness appearance of influencers correlates with the likelihood of their followers adopting healthy lifestyles. This suggests that people are more likely to trust and follow advice from those who are visibly practising what they preach. It is very well noticeable that the effect is huge!
Tackling this overbearing influence also poses a significant challenge for organisations like ours, which focus on health and nutrition with adolescents. Teenagers are increasingly turning to social media for health information, where they are bombarded with both accurate and misleading content. Our challenge has shifted from merely raising awareness to also addressing the problem of misinformation. Adolescents often think they are informed, but much of their knowledge may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our role now includes helping them unlearn misleading information and adopt accurate health knowledge from reliable sources. However, research says that influencers can have both positive and negative impacts on health outcomes and even all of us in real-time can see live examples of it around us in our day-to-day lives.
This also suggests that in this digital age, it’s crucial to be mindful of whom we follow and what we adopt from social media. For health-related guidance, consulting a professional is always the best course of action. Everybody's mind is unique, and personalised advice is essential. So the next time you scroll through your social media feed, take a moment to reflect: has anyone you follow brought a significant change in your lifestyle? If yes, think about the ‘why’ and ‘how’ and reflect if it’s a healthy change or an opposite one.
As we navigate this digital maze, let us commit to making informed, thoughtful choices. Whether you are following a diet, trying a fitness trend, or simply scrolling through health tips, remember that real change comes from real knowledge.
If you are in the health and nutrition space or simply passionate about making healthier and mindful choices, join the conversation by commenting below or reaching out to us at info@zealgrit.org. Together, let’s create a community that empowers healthier, smarter decisions!