Three questions you need to ask before taking TikTok food advice

Question: My teenage daughter follows the latest healthy eating trends she sees on TikTok. I’ve tried explaining that social media isn’t a reliable source of nutrition information, but she won’t listen. Is there any research to back me up on this?

Answer:

TikTok has become a go-to source for everything
from dance trends to DIY hacks – but it’s also shaping the way people think about food and health. Hashtags like #WhatIEatinaDay and #HealthyEating, often delivered by influencers rather than experts, promise nutrition inspiration and gain millions of views. But is TikTok a good source of nutrition advice or just diet culture repackaged for the digital age?

It’s easy to see why nutrition content thrives on TikTok. Short and engaging videos make complex topics seem simple. Personal stories, “before and after” transformations and easy hacks make nutrition feel accessible. Who wouldn’t want a quick fix that promises glowing skin, the “perfect” thin body or boundless energy?

But nutrition isn’t one size fits all, and advice that works for one person may not suit another. More importantly, popular doesn’t mean accurate – some of the most viral nutrition videos are based on shady science and outdated diet myths.

A 2024 study, published in the journal Nutrients, found much TikTok nutritional content was low quality and lacked scientific backing. In particular, 55% of nutrition posts did not provide evidence-based information, 75% lacked balanced and accurate content and 90% failed to point out the risks and benefits of the advice they presented. Just 36% of nutrition posts were rated as completely accurate, whereas 42% were rated as mostly or completely inaccurate.

The researchers highlighted “What I Eat in a Day” videos as a key driver of misinformation by reinforcing unrealistic dietary standards. And the videos with the most engagement weren’t necessarily the most accurate. Misleading claims potentially spread rapidly and evidence-based advice struggled to gain traction.

Another 2024 study, published in Public Health Nutrition, found many TikTok videos subtly reinforce diet culture, often under the guise of “health.” Content creators frequently promote thinness as the ideal and only model of health (which is categorically incorrect) and also suggest restrictive eating patterns, sometimes without even realising it.

Instead of traditional diet language, newer terms like “clean eating”, “gut health”, or “hormone balancing” are used to disguise the diet-culture nature of their messages. But the underlying message remains the same: control what you eat to control your body and achieve the idolised “thin” body.

Rather than empowering people, much of this content fosters fear around food, reinforcing the myth that certain foods are “bad” and should be avoided. This fear-based messaging can lead to anxiety about eating rather than genuine wellbeing. And those are not the beliefs about food and bodies we want our youth to develop.

Instead of following TikTok trends that promote restriction, a weight-neutral and intuitive eating approach offers a healthier way to engage with food. Rather than focusing on weight as a measure of health, a weight-neutral perspective emphasises behavioural changes that support overall wellbeing, such as eating a variety of foods, moving in ways that feel good and tuning into your body’s needs.

Intuitive eating encourages people to listen to their hunger and fullness cues instead of relying on external food rules. Before following any TikTok nutrition trend, it’s worth asking:

• Who is giving this advice? Do they have credible qualifications?

•Does it encourage listening to your body or impose rigid food rules?

• Is it rooted in shame or fear, or does it promote genuine wellbeing?

Not all TikTok nutrition content is terrible, but it is crucial to approach it critically. Some dietitians and registered nutritionists are using the platform to share evidence-based advice, but their voices can be drowned out by influencers with no formal training. To filter out the noise, encourage users to:

•Follow credentialed professionals who focus on balanced, non-restrictive eating.

•Be wary of trends that promise quick fixes, extreme transformations or rigid food rules.

•Shift from weight-focused goals to holistic health habits that prioritise physical and mental wellbeing.

TikTok doesn’t know your body’s needs or your lifestyle – you do. So trust in your hunger, fullness and satisfaction cues as a far more reliable method to healthy eating than any trending hashtag.