Breaking through the noise: How health influencers online are misleading the public

Fitness experts and personal trainers say social media is contributing to more dangerous workout trends becoming mainstream.

Gymgoers often look to personal trainers for advice or help to reach their goals.

But the conversation around fitness is changing and social media’s influence over the space is leading to a lot of misinformation according to Kylie Vrooman, a former trainer that now manages at GoodLife Fitness in Calgary.

“They’re spreading these very sensationalized messages,” Vrooman said.

“We are consistently competing with people who may or may not be certified. They may or may not have watched real human bodies moving in person.”

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University of Alberta health law expert Timothy Caulfield says social media influencers are having a large impact on people’s health decisions.

He says about 60 per cent of videos on fitness on social media are misleading, and warns people to watch out for what he calls “sciencey” trends.

“I call it science-ploitation,” Caulfield said. “They will talk about stem-cells, and the microbiome and precision medicine in order to sell products, even though there is no good evidence to support their claims.”

Traditional exercise and eating well is the tried-and-true method to stay healthy for Angela Fernandes, who began her fitness journey four years ago.

“I have four kids, and I lost 70 pounds, and I did it all on my own,” Fernandes said.

“It’s very important, especially if you have like a family that you’re trying to be a role model for.”

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Vrooman agrees with that sentiment. She says there’s an important distinction between getting inspiration versus advice online, and taking advice from influencers could harm one’s health.

“If you’re starting with things like peptides, GLP1s, or even just supplements in general, I really believe you’re stepping over $100 bills while you’re chasing pennies.”