Authors: Aryana Petti, Meghan Etsey, Yun Weisholtz, MD-PhD on behalf of the Gender Equity Task Force

Let’s be honest: most of us aren’t getting our nutrition advice from textbooks or medical journals. We’re getting it from TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, often while scrolling late at night, comparing ourselves to strangers who seem to have it all figured out. For young women especially, social media has become a primary source of nutrition information. And while some of that content is helpful and evidence-based, a lot of it isn’t (Zeng et al., 2025; Lam et al., 2025; Denniss et al., 2023). The problem isn’t just misinformation; it’s how convincing that misinformation can feel when it’s wrapped in aesthetic videos, personal stories, and “before-and-after” transformations. Research consistently shows that increased social media use is associated with greater body dissatisfaction and higher rates of disordered eating behaviors among young women and girls (Roorda & Cassin, 2025; Sanzari et al., 2023; Dopelt & Houminer-Klepar, 2025). These platforms don’t exist in a vacuum; they amplify cultural pressures around thinness, productivity, and “wellness,” often without acknowledging the mental and physical cost.

TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are the most influential platforms for nutrition messaging among young women (Zeng et al., 2025; Lam et al., 2025; Sanzari et al., 2023). If you’ve ever watched a “What I eat in a day” video and immediately questioned your own meals, you’re not alone. Common trends include extreme “clean eating,” detoxes, supplement promotion, and rigid food rules, all presented as lifestyle choices rather than restrictive behaviors (Zeng et al., 2025; Wu et al., 2024). Many of the creators behind these posts lack formal nutrition training yet speak with confidence and authority, often relying on anecdotes rather than evidence (Diekman et al., 2023; Minadeo & Pope, 2022). That combination, confidence without credentials, is persuasive and potentially detrimental. And it spreads fast.

Young women face unique, gender-based pressures related to body image, appearance, and control over food. Social media doesn’t just reflect these pressures; it magnifies them (Malloy et al., 2024; Roorda & Cassin, 2025). Wellness culture often frames thinness as health, discipline as virtue, and restriction as self-improvement. Add in stress, low self-esteem, constant comparison, and algorithm-driven exposure to appearance-focused content, and the result is a perfect storm (Sanzari et al., 2023; Al-Bisher & Al-Otaibi, 2022). Studies show that exposure to weight-normative and appearance-centered messaging is associated with higher levels of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors, especially in young women (Minadeo & Pope, 2022; Moorman et al., 2020).

Nutrition misinformation doesn’t just confuse people, it reinforces guilt, shame, and “all-or-nothing” thinking around food. Red flags are surprisingly consistent: lack of credentials, promises of rapid transformation, elimination of entire food groups, reliance on personal anecdotes, and aggressive promotion of supplements or products (Zeng et al., 2025; Diekman et al., 2023). Restrictive diets and inaccurate advice can negatively affect metabolism, energy levels, sleep, mood, and mental health (Denniss et al., 2023; Diekman et al., 2023). Yet research shows that many of the most popular nutrition posts lack transparency, balance, or any reference to evidence at all (Zeng et al., 2025; Denniss et al., 2023). Over time, repeated exposure to this content has been linked to disordered eating patterns, psychological distress, and increased feelings of guilt and failure around food choices (Roorda & Cassin, 2025; Wu et al., 2024).

Combating nutrition misinformation isn’t about avoiding social media altogether, it’s about changing how we engage with it. Evidence-based nutrition emphasizes balance, sustainability, intuitive eating, and cultural inclusivity, not perfection or restriction (Lam et al., 2025; Denniss et al., 2023; Diekman et al., 2023). Credible sources include registered dietitians, physicians, and academic or public health institutions, especially those who acknowledge nuance and avoid fear-based messaging (Lam et al., 2025; Diekman et al., 2023). Building digital literacy, following diverse and qualified creators, and fostering supportive, non-judgmental online communities can make a real difference (Dopelt & Houminer-Klepar, 2025; Diekman et al., 2023).

Organizations such as the American Medical Women’s Association play an important role in promoting health education, media literacy, and compassionate, inclusive messaging regarding nutrition and body image (Dopelt & Houminer-Klepar, 2025; Diekman et al., 2023). At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to eat “perfectly.” It’s to nourish our bodies without fear, shame, or comparison, and to remember that health isn’t something you can judge from a 30-second video.

References: 

  1. Al-Bisher, M. M., & Al-Otaibi, H. H. (2022). Eating concerns associated with nutritional information obtained from social media among Saudi young females: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 16380. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416380
  2. Denniss, E., Lindberg, R., & McNaughton, S. A. (2023). Quality and accuracy of online nutrition-related information: A systematic review of content analysis studies. Public Health Nutrition, 26(7), 1345–1357. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980023000873 
  3. Diekman, C., Ryan, C. D., & Oliver, T. L. (2023). Misinformation and disinformation in food science and nutrition: Impact on practice. The Journal of Nutrition, 153(1), 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.10.001 
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  9. Roorda, B. A., & Cassin, S. E. (2025). A review of food-related social media and its relationship to body image and disordered eating. Nutrients, 17(2), 342. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17020342 
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About the Authors

Aryana Petti, Undergraduate Student

Aryana Petti is a third-year Behavioral Neuroscience student at Northeastern University, preparing for a future career in medicine with a strong interest in psychiatry and nutrition. She is a clinical research coordinator for a sleep genetics lab in the Center for Genomic Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is a member of the AMWA Chapter at Northeastern and is the Design Director for her hip-hop-contemporary fusion dance team, Revolve. 

Meghan Etsey, MS4

Meghan Etsey is a fourth year medical student from St. George’s University. She has a Bachelors of Arts in Biology and a Bachelors of Arts in Nutrition and Dietetics from Bluffton University in Bluffton, Ohio. She served as the President of the St. George’s University’s Women in Medicine chapter in St. George, Grenada where she expanded relationships with the community and worked towards educating women and helping the youth. She is also a member of the Gender Equity Task Force and Sex and Gender Health Collaborative Committees within the American Medical Women’s Association. When she is not pursuing medicine, you can find her with her friends and family on different road trips and adventures exploring the world. 

Yun Weisholtz, MD-PhD

Dr. Yun Weisholtz is a physician-scientist and advisor with a deep commitment to mentorship and advancing equity in medicine. She completed her undergraduate studies at Stanford University, where she double-majored in Biological Sciences and Chemistry, and spent a year in Germany as a Fulbright Scholar. She went on to enter the MD-PhD program in Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and MIT, where she developed her passion for research, teaching, and mentoring. Dr. Weisholtz is a Physician Advisor with MedSchoolCoach and the founder of MD-PhD Advising, a consulting practice dedicated to helping students navigate the medical school and residency application process. Outside of work, she enjoys collecting Delft pottery from the Netherlands and spending time with her family and pets.