It’s no secret that celebrities and influencers have a certain sway over us. They’ve become a really popular source of information on everything from fashion to fitness, especially with how easy and fast information is shared today. While these social media platforms appear innocent, they can be a space where false and misleading information can be widely and quickly shared. We see someone we admire or idolize talk about a product they’re obsessed with or a habit they’ve picked up and we’re quick to do it ourselves. I mean, let’s be honest, we all fall victim to the latest and greatest Amazon gadget or high-end makeup brand dupe from time to time. But when it comes to health and nutrition advice, we’ve got to draw a line and be more cautious, because these people usually have zero credentials to be promoting certain foods or diets.
More often than not, the diet and nutrition advice given by these individuals is too brief or incomplete or not even evidence-based to provide a truly comprehensive understanding of what they’re preaching. Because of this, it’s absolutely essential to question the credibility and qualifications of the influencer, specifically when it comes to health and nutrition advice. We’re going to dig more into why this is so harmful, who you can trust for this information, and some things to be on the lookout for when scrolling through social media.
So what’s the big deal?
Influencers and celebrities are people who have gained a significant following on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. When it comes to nutrition and diet advice, many influencers and celebrities claim to be experts or even just offer unsolicited recommendations on what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat. You might see this in the form of “What I Eat in a Day” or “How I lost X lbs.” videos or social media posts. And thanks to celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow discussing their food and nutrition routine, people out there might actually think bone broth is enough for a meal. Celebrities that fully support keto diets for weight loss often don’t actually realize the diet was developed to help children with severe epilepsy, not for weight loss. They might normalize disordered eating behaviors like saving desserts for the weekend or not eating past a certain time at night. And while some of these people may have personal experience with specific diets or nutrition plans, they typically lack formal education or training in nutrition science. As a result, their advice may not be evidence-based, and they may not understand the complex nature of each individual’s dietary needs.
That being said, it can be extremely unsafe to follow this advice! It is basically guaranteed that it will keep you stuck in the unhealthy habits that make up the toxic diet cycle. There’s so much more to what goes into our food choices and behaviors. Factors like your childhood, mental health, diet culture and so much more play a huge role into even the smallest of behaviors or choices. Influencers and celebrities couldn’t care less about this. They have no thoughts about why you’re doing something the way you do it, so they feed you this nonevideced based, toxic idea of how to be healthy that keep you stuck in behaviors that aren’t working for you.
Let’s not forget that the advice these influencers and celebrities share doesn’t usually take a lot of other mportant factors into mind such as food preferences, genetics, etc. They’ll say “Here’s how I lost 20 lbs. in 4 weeks,” which in its essence promises that you, too, can lose 20 lbs. in 4 weeks and look just like them if you do exactly what they do. But the truth is that you probably won’t, because it’s not an individualized approach, and nutrition has to be individualized. They aren’t factoring in your food preferences or natural, genetic body shape and size. Everybody is unique and your needs are specific to you. You also fully deserve to eat the foods that fuel your soul as well as your body! Don’t let a celebrity tell you otherwise.
Influencers are also often incentivized to promote certain products or diets. *Cough cough* all those people drinking Bloom Nutrition products in their posts. They usually don’t know the real research behind what they’re promoting, which typically results in biased or misleading information. Just blindly promoting things for their own gain, not fully understanding the product or what their message conveys to their followers.
While not usually malicious in sharing this information, these celebrities with huge followings don’t understand the massive impact they make on their fans in even the smallest of ways, much less suggesting a full-on diet or exercise routine. Their lack of formal education or training in nutrition science doesn’t necessarily mean that all influencers are giving bad advice. However, it does mean that their advice should be taken with a grain of salt, and it’s always a good idea to confirm their recommendations with other credible sources or people.
So who do we trust?
Registered Dietitians (RDs) are the trained professionals of the nutrition field. Like a teacher to education or a firefighter to a fire, they are the experts in this space. They must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and starting very soon, they will also be required to hold a master’s degree. They are also required to complete a supervised internship with at least 1,200 hours of experience and pass a national certification exam. They have the knowledge and training to provide actual, evidence-based advice and counseling. They don’t just make up their information, it’s actually supported by science and research so what they say is truly reliable! Don’t mistake nutritionists for Registered Dietitians, because they are very different. Nutritionists can be anyone and it’s essentially a self-proclaimed title. There are no educational or certifying requirements to become a nutritionist. A Registered Dietitian has to go through all the schooling, all the fieldwork, take a national exam, and maintain continuing education throughout their career to call themselves that title.
Unlike influencers and celebrities, RDs are also held to ethical standards. The Code of Ethics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics outlines guidelines for professional conduct and the use of social media for registered dietitians. Because of this, RDs have to be extremely cautious about the information they share online. This also impacts what products they promote or claims made that are not supported by scientific evidence.
Registered Dietitians can also help with more than just nutrition advice. Especially working with non-diet based RDs like we have here at Jill Gulotta Nutrition, they can help identify and address the deeper-rooted things that impact your health and nutrition habits and help you gain a better relationship with food and your body. Through this work, you gain your life back, a life free from the toxic diet-culture-based thoughts. You gain these things permanently, because we make sure these changes happen long-term. It’s a truly holistic approach to nutrition and health
Long story short, would you trust someone to fix your car that wasn’t a trained mechanic? Would you follow the advice to take certain medications or prescription drugs from someone that isn’t a doctor? The answer is likely no. We have experts and specialists in all fields for a reason, and nutrition is no different! Keep this in mind as you scroll through all the nutrition advice you hear on TikTok or Instagram.
So what are the red flags?
With so much information so easily at your fingertips, it’s important to take a step back and reflect on the information that is being shared with you! Here are some red flags to be on the lookout for when sifting through all the noise in this influencer/celebrity nutrition space:
- If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
- This classic saying can absolutely be applied here! 99% if you find yourself thinking this, it’s for a reason.
- If they’re not a Registered Dietitians, take it at face value.
- Remember that a Nutritionist is not a dietitian! And just because they are “famous” or an “influencer,” doesn’t mean they have the credentials to suggest food and nutrition advice.
- If it promises instant gratification and results, keep scrolling.
- Your journey with food and your body should be gradual, because that is often what results in sustainable change. If what you’re seeing promises anything different, 99% of the time it won’t give you all that it says it will.
So how do we actually find credible nutrition advice?
If you’re looking for nutrition advice, it’s crucial to seek guidance from a qualified professional. Look for a Registered Dietitian in your area or seek virtual counseling from an RD. A simple online search can help you find a licensed and experienced dietitian. You can also ask your healthcare provider for a referral to an RD. When it comes to online accounts or articles and blogs, checking to see if that individual is an RD is essential if planning to take their advice. I can’t emphasize enough what a difference it makes in your health journey to work with a non-diet-based RD. Anyone can tell you to eat your veggies, give you a meal plan, or tell you to work out 5x a week and promise you results. But those results, if they come, are always temporary. The non-diet based work gives you forever change.
Final Thoughts
Influencer and celebrity nutrition advice is not always credible or evidence-based. They are often just provided unsolicited diet advice or promoting a brand or product for their own benefit. While some influencers may have personal experience with specific diets, it’s crucial to seek guidance from qualified professionals like Registered Dietitians. By doing so, you can ensure that your nutrition plan is tailored to your specific needs and is based on scientific research. Your health is too important to rely on unqualified advice from these individuals! Your body and health is like a beautiful sports car. You wouldn’t take your beautiful sports car to anyone who says they can fix it, right? You’d take it to a professional, with the education and experience to do the job right. Treat your body and overall health with that same respect.
