Nutrition-Related Content on Instagram in the United States of America: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study
Background: The Internet is today the largest platform for food distribution, and there are concerns about the impact that digital marketing has in the field of nutrition by promoting non-evidence-based recommendations. The purpose of this study was to describe the user profile that draws on Instagr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Foods |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/2/239 |
| _version_ | 1797494040117116928 |
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| author | Hector José Tricas-Vidal María Concepción Vidal-Peracho María Orosia Lucha-López César Hidalgo-García Ana Carmen Lucha-López Sofía Monti-Ballano Jaime Corral-de Toro Sergio Márquez-Gonzalvo José Miguel Tricás-Moreno |
| author_facet | Hector José Tricas-Vidal María Concepción Vidal-Peracho María Orosia Lucha-López César Hidalgo-García Ana Carmen Lucha-López Sofía Monti-Ballano Jaime Corral-de Toro Sergio Márquez-Gonzalvo José Miguel Tricás-Moreno |
| author_sort | Hector José Tricas-Vidal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The Internet is today the largest platform for food distribution, and there are concerns about the impact that digital marketing has in the field of nutrition by promoting non-evidence-based recommendations. The purpose of this study was to describe the user profile that draws on Instagram to follow nutrition-related content versus not, and to analyze the frequency and type of content of the information provided by nutritional influencers. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving randomly selected United States residents having an Instagram account was performed. Participants completed an anonymous online survey link. Results: From 898 respondents, 78.7% were women, and 75.6% were Millennials. Scientific evidence present in the posts was 14.3%. Influencers promoted a product or a brand in more than 90% of posts. Women followed more nutrition-related content than men (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Millennials, followed by Generation-Z, followed more nutrition-related content (<i>p</i> < 0.001). There were no significant relationships between the following status of nutrition-related content with BMI, type of job, household income, education degree, or smoking habits. Conclusions: Women and Millennials followed more nutrition-related content. Scientific evidence was scarce and commercial interest in the network was evident. The vast majority of the posts were not based on scientific evidence and instead promoted a product/supplement. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:28:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-47af84aa599048bcb3c9db83c0f1e7b3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:28:36Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-47af84aa599048bcb3c9db83c0f1e7b32023-11-23T13:46:01ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582022-01-0111223910.3390/foods11020239Nutrition-Related Content on Instagram in the United States of America: Analytical Cross-Sectional StudyHector José Tricas-Vidal0María Concepción Vidal-Peracho1María Orosia Lucha-López2César Hidalgo-García3Ana Carmen Lucha-López4Sofía Monti-Ballano5Jaime Corral-de Toro6Sergio Márquez-Gonzalvo7José Miguel Tricás-Moreno8Unidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainUnidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainUnidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainUnidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainUnidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainUnidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainUnidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainUnidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainUnidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainBackground: The Internet is today the largest platform for food distribution, and there are concerns about the impact that digital marketing has in the field of nutrition by promoting non-evidence-based recommendations. The purpose of this study was to describe the user profile that draws on Instagram to follow nutrition-related content versus not, and to analyze the frequency and type of content of the information provided by nutritional influencers. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving randomly selected United States residents having an Instagram account was performed. Participants completed an anonymous online survey link. Results: From 898 respondents, 78.7% were women, and 75.6% were Millennials. Scientific evidence present in the posts was 14.3%. Influencers promoted a product or a brand in more than 90% of posts. Women followed more nutrition-related content than men (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Millennials, followed by Generation-Z, followed more nutrition-related content (<i>p</i> < 0.001). There were no significant relationships between the following status of nutrition-related content with BMI, type of job, household income, education degree, or smoking habits. Conclusions: Women and Millennials followed more nutrition-related content. Scientific evidence was scarce and commercial interest in the network was evident. The vast majority of the posts were not based on scientific evidence and instead promoted a product/supplement.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/2/239social mediadietfood and nutritionprofile userevidence-based practice |
| spellingShingle | Hector José Tricas-Vidal María Concepción Vidal-Peracho María Orosia Lucha-López César Hidalgo-García Ana Carmen Lucha-López Sofía Monti-Ballano Jaime Corral-de Toro Sergio Márquez-Gonzalvo José Miguel Tricás-Moreno Nutrition-Related Content on Instagram in the United States of America: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study Foods social media diet food and nutrition profile user evidence-based practice |
| title | Nutrition-Related Content on Instagram in the United States of America: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Nutrition-Related Content on Instagram in the United States of America: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Nutrition-Related Content on Instagram in the United States of America: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nutrition-Related Content on Instagram in the United States of America: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Nutrition-Related Content on Instagram in the United States of America: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | nutrition related content on instagram in the united states of america analytical cross sectional study |
| topic | social media diet food and nutrition profile user evidence-based practice |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/2/239 |
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