Poster Library of The Institute for Functional Medicine

With the increase in social media usage and the influx of wellness influencers, both expert and non-expert, there is a greater propensity for users to negatively compare their current behavior, and actively seek to mimic other behavior. This circulates around body image, food choices, and fitness activities. This even lends to the acquisition of goods and products to help reach these comparison and mimicry goals. Often the advice given by the influencer is not suitable to the situation or circumstances of the user, and although the platform is usually meant to serve the general population, there is a tendency for the user to consider the recommendations as personalized. This superficial connection that the user has with the influencer(s) leads them to make health-related decisions based on advice that may not serve their health. There may also be inconsistency in the message as users are likely following several influencers. This inconsistency and continued effort (likely a failed effort) to implement the plethora of recommendations that the user is constantly bombarded with may put them at risk for developing an unhealthy relationship with food, eventually even leading to disordered eating or orthorexia (an unhealthy obsession with healthy behaviors and foods).