Health Influencers: Wellness Gains, Emotional Strains

•  A study of young adults in New Zealand published in CyberPsychology showed that followers of health influencers tend to exercise more vigorously, eat more fruits and vegetables, and report better well-being
• However, they also reported greater distress compared to non-followers
• Levels of distress were the highest among followers of health and diet-related influencers

While we scroll through social media now and then (or more often, depending on our browsing habits), a video will come up where a person recommends an exercise regimen, specific lifestyle habits, or nutritional choices. These individuals often claim that the modes of behavior they advocate will improve the viewers’ health or be beneficial in some way. They may also describe their personal experiences in overcoming health issues. Some of these individuals devote most or all of their online posts to sharing or promoting health-related information. We call these individuals health influencers.

Health influencers

Health influencers are individuals who share health-related information, advice, and lifestyle tips, primarily through social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok. They focus on areas such as nutrition, fitness, mental health, beauty, skincare, and wellness, reaching large audiences with personal stories, recommendations, and routines (Pilgrim & Bohnet-Joschko, 2019; Zou et al., 2021).

Many collaborate with brands to promote products, from supplements to fitness equipment, blending marketing with lifestyle advice. Their influence stems from their ability to connect with followers on a personal level, offering relatable and accessible health tips. However, not all have formal training or credentials. While they can inspire positive changes, some may inadvertently spread misinformation or promote unrealistic health standards (Byrne et al., 2017).

 

Not all health influencers have formal training or credentials. While they can inspire positive changes, some health influencers may inadvertently spread misinformation or promote unrealistic health standards

 

Following health influencers

People follow health influencers for various reasons. They may prompt positive exercise and dietary habits in their followers, and people might follow them, planning to improve their lifestyle habits. Some individuals might find their content interesting by itself.

Studies indicate that messaging from these figures might be more influential in affecting health behavior engagement than traditional channels because they are often perceived as more credible, trustworthy, knowledgeable, authentic, and attractive. Sometimes, individuals may identify with them and form parasocial bonds (Cooper et al., 2024).

 

Sometimes, individuals may identify with influencers and form parasocial bonds with them (Cooper et al., 2024)

 

However, following health influencers can sometimes be harmful. Their content may reinforce the “fit-ideal” —the concept that an athletic or fit body is the ideal body type. This may, in turn, increase body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms in their followers (Pilgrim & Bohnet-Joschko, 2019).

The current study
Study author Jack R. H. Cooper and his colleagues wanted to investigate the physical and mental health of young adults who follow health influencers on Instagram. They focused on individuals between 18 and 25 years of age because they use social media more than other demographic groups, and problematic use of these platforms has the potential to disrupt their mental health (Cooper et al., 2024).

The study participants were 1022 young adults participating in the “Lifestyles of Young Adults” survey. They were university students from New Zealand, U.S. Mturk workers, and individuals from the United Kingdom recruited through Prolific. The participants’ average age was 22 years. 55% of them were women. 411 of them were classified as followers of health influencers.

Study participants completed an online survey that included assessments of social media usage (“How often do you use the following social networking sites or apps?”), physical activity (the International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form), dietary habits (a modification of the 2008/2009 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey), distress (PROMIS Emotional Distress – Depression and the PROMIS Emotional Distress – Anxiety scales), psychological well-being (the Flourishing Scale), and positive and negative mood (an 18-item measure of the affective circumplex) (see Figure 1).

 

Figure 1. Study procedure (Cooper et al., 2024)

 

Followers of health influencers tend to eat more fruits and vegetables
Results showed that the followers were more often female than male. They tended to have higher socioeconomic status and education levels than non-followers. These individuals were more likely to exercise vigorously and eat more fruits and vegetables than participants who did not follow health influencers. The followers also reported better overall well-being.

Followers of health influencers showed higher levels of distress
The followers showed higher levels of distress. Individuals following diet/food influencers showed higher levels of distress than those following exercise/fitness influencers. However, the observed differences between followers and non-followers in the level of distress were of minimal magnitude. Additional analyses showed that the association between health behaviors like vigorous exercise and lower distress also appeared to be disrupted in the followers.

There were no differences between followers and non-followers in body mass index, minutes spent walking (per day), negative mood, or anxiety. Instagram was the most widely used social network, with only 7% of participants reporting not using it (see Figure 2).

 

Figure 2. Research Findings (Cooper et al., 2024)

 

Conclusions
Overall, the study showed that followers of health influencers are more likely to engage in exercise and tend to have healthier eating habits (e.g., eating more fruits and vegetables). These individuals tended to report better well-being but also higher levels of distress, indicating that following the influencers might not be exclusively beneficial for young adults.

On the other hand, the design of this study does not allow cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn from the findings. Because of this, it remains unknown whether the act of following the influencers is the cause behind the observed differences. It is also possible that individuals eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising more often but also experiencing higher distress are simply more likely to be drawn to the influencers’ content.

The paper “Healthier But Not Happier? The Lifestyle Habits of Health Influencer Followers” was authored by Jack R. H. Cooper, Quinn Campbell, and Tamlin S. Conner.

 

References

Byrne, E., Kearney, J., & MacEvilly, C. (2017). The Role of Influencer Marketing and Social Influencers in Public Health. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 76(OCE3), E103. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665117001768

Cooper, J., Campbell, Q., & Conner, T. (2024). Healthier but not happier? The lifestyle habits of health influencer followers. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 18(2). https://doi.org/10.5817/CP2024-2-4

Pilgrim, K., & Bohnet-Joschko, S. (2019). Selling health and happiness how influencers communicate on Instagram about dieting and exercise: Mixed methods research. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 1054. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7387-8

Zou, W., Zhang, W. J., & Tang, L. (2021). What Do Social Media Influencers Say about Health? A Theory-Driven Content Analysis of Top Ten Health Influencers’ Posts on Sina Weibo. Journal of Health Communication, 26(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2020.1865486