Half of social media users would make diet changes

Introduction

Over half (56%) of respondents who use social media for information on health said they would be likely to make changes to their diet based on information they’ve seen on platforms like TikTok or Instagram, says a new online survey from the British Nutrition Foundation. Just over a quarter (27%) of those surveyed said they’d recently read information about diet and health on social media, and the top motivators given for changing diet were weight loss (40%) and improving fitness (36%).

New survey from the British Nutrition Foundation

However, the Foundation warns that some of the biggest social media diet trends are not based on sound science, would be difficult to maintain and could even pose health risks.

Diets such as the carnivore diet, 10-day egg diet, the cabbage soup diet and the baby food diet, which are widely shared on social media platforms, are nutritionally unbalanced. They severely restrict the variety of foods eaten and so will not provide all the nutrients the body needs and, because they tend to be a quick fix, any weight lost is likely to be regained.

Bridget Benelam, Nutrition Communications Manager at the British Nutrition Foundation said: “Many of us will be thinking about making changes to our diet this January, but following what we see on social media may do more harm than good. Healthy, balanced diets are never going to go viral but they are the way to go to improve health.”

The survey also found that people’s top diet concerns are having too much sugar (21%) too many calories (20%) and not enough fruit and veg(15%). Busy lives (19%) affordability (17%) and being tempted by unhealthy takeaways (12%) were the top 3 reasons cited as making it hard to eat healthily.

Benelam continues: “Times are tough and it’s not always easy to make healthy choices. This New Year, ditch the fads and pick just a few small changes that you can stick to. Try and add one more portion of vegetables to your dinner each day, swap sugary snacks for fruit or choose wholegrain bread or pasta. If you can keep these changes up then they can make a real difference to your health over time.”

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2009 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 29th September- 2nd October 2023. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged18+).

“Healthy, balanced diets are never going to go viral but they are the way to go to improve health... Times are tough and it's not always easy to make healthy choices”

About the British Nutrition Foundation

Connecting people, food and science for better nutrition and healthier lives

The British Nutrition Foundation is a registered charity that provides impartial, evidence-based information about food and nutrition. They translate nutrition science in engaging and actionable ways, working extensively with people in academia, health care, education, communications and the food system, for public benefit.

They safeguard their independence through robust governance, with an independent Board supported by an Advisory Committee and a Scientific Committee, both of which draw upon a board range of experts from academia, government, industry, and public life. Our governance is weighted towards the scientific community, universities, and research institutes, and those from education, finance, media, communications, and HR backgrounds.

Funding for the British Nutrition Foundation is from membership subscriptions, donations, project grants from food producers and manufacturers, retailers and food service companies, conferences, publications, training, trusts, and foundations. The British Nutrition Foundation is not a lobbying organisation, nor does it endorse any products or engage in food advertising campaigns. More details about the British Nutrition Foundation’s work, funding and governance can be found at: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/our-work/who-we-are/.