Trendy diets on social media: Digital influence, adherence, nutritional and metabolic risks in young people
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70208/3007.8245.v6.n1.368Keywords:
Social media, influence, fad diets, teenagers, nutritional complicationsAbstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of fad diets promoted on social media on adherence to diets and the development of nutritional and metabolic complications in adolescents and young adults. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA approach, selecting 45 articles published between 2015 and 2025 after a preliminary screening of 109 studies. The results showed that Instagram and YouTube are the predominant platforms for disseminating restrictive diets, accounting for 50% and 39.9% of nutritional information consumption, respectively. 34.8% of posts were associated with poor information, while only 6.1% supported scientific evidence. This exposure is linked to volatile adherence to restrictive diets and the frequency of eating disorders. More than 62% of the reviewed studies connect the use of these platforms with nutritional misrepresentation and the risk of developing micronutrient deficiencies and metabolic disorders such as dyslipidemia. It is concluded that digital content substantially impacts the self-perception and health of young people; therefore, it is proposed that health professionals implement technological strategies such as digital anamnesis during consultations to detect and prevent possible nutritional and metabolic complications.
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