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TikTok is the virtual space where all the trends of the modern era are born and die. Many of them are ephemeral, but others are prolonged over time, such as some food hacks or food tricks that the new generations follow as if it were a kind of religion; although in most cases they have no scientific basis behind them. According to a new study, organised by MyFitnessPal in collaboration with Dublin City University, 57% of the followers of the streaming platform use it as their main source of nutritional information.
Another of the conclusions reached by this research, which analysed more than 67,000 videos on the social media platform, is that only 2.1% of this information is actually accurate and regulated by public health codes. Just over 2 per cent of all nutritional information actually conformed to these public health guidelines.
According to MyFitnessPal marketing director Katie Keil, these fads go viral because of their ‘sensational hook’. Some of the most viral health hacks that have appeared on TikTok include ‘nature’s Ozempic’, also known as a berberine supplement, and the practice of marinating Diet Coke.
Keil went on to advise against paying attention to social media for fads that ‘promise a quick fix’, as they can be too dangerous. There are even fad diets that severely limit nutrient intake by focusing on eating only one type of food, such as the cabbage soup diet.
