Instagram’s diet gurus are spreading misinformation – and millions are buying it

A new investigation has revealed that millions of people may be getting their nutrition advice from Instagram influencers with little or no relevant qualifications. The report, Nutrition Misinformation in the Digital Age (2024–2025), released by the Rooted Research Collective.

“Where do you go for nutrition advice?” asked Alice Millbank, Co-founder of the Rooted Research Collective and one of the report’s authors. “For nearly 24 million people, the answer is likely… Instagram. More specifically, misinformation super-spreaders: a group of 53 individuals who use emotional storytelling and often fabricated authority to build trust and shape public understanding of health.”

According to the report, 87% of these high-reach accounts are not medical doctors, yet approximately one in five present themselves as credentialed experts without verifiable qualifications. Many of these influencers adopt the title 'Dr' despite their fields of study having no relevance to nutrition or chronic disease management.

The researchers grouped these influencers into three archetypes: The Doc, The Rebel, and The Hustler. Each uses distinctive strategies to build influence. 'The Doc' leverages a medical title to create credibility, 'The Rebel' trades in conspiratorial or anti-establishment messaging, and 'The Hustler' blends nutrition claims with highly polished wellness marketing.

Although few of the influencers are credentialed experts, their posts generate extraordinary engagement. The average 'Doc' profile had nearly 745,000 followers and used fear-based messaging to promote red meat, demonize seed oils, and position plant-based diets as harmful. One such post – a pro-carnivore, anti-plant-based message – was the most liked in the entire dataset, with over 3.7 million likes.

The scale of influence is matched by financial incentive. The report found that 96% of the super-spreaders profited from their posts through business ventures, affiliate deals, coaching services or sponsored content. One account fitting the 'Doc' profile reportedly earns up to US$100,000 per month across multiple platforms, on top of income from their primary profession.

More than 90% of these accounts shared content across multiple misinformation categories, such as keto and carnivore diets, anti-seed oil rhetoric, and 'ancestral' eating claims. This created a web of overlapping falsehoods that often reject public health advice in favor of emotionally resonant personal narratives.

The study also identified three main dissemination strategies. Fear-mongering posts stoke distrust in science and institutions, suggesting modern food systems are corrupt. Joy-mongering relies on upbeat, emotionally charged messages that promote extreme diets as pathways to wellness and freedom. Sprinkling sees nutrition misinformation embedded in broader content like fitness or parenting tips, making it harder to detect and more palatable.

“Nutrition misinformation isn’t just about bad science,” said Millbank. “It’s about who tells the story, how they tell it, and the emotional connection they build with their audience.”

Carnivore and meat-based diets were the most common misinformation theme, appearing in 28.8% of misinformation posts, followed by general wellness misinformation (24.5%) and ketogenic diets (23.7%). Plant-based diets were frequently targeted, framed as unnatural or harmful, while red meat and saturated fats were glorified as essential and medicinal.

These narratives run counter to guidance from global health bodies, which recommend balanced, plant-forward diets and limited intake of saturated fat and red meat. Despite this, the appeal of charismatic influencers appears to outweigh official advice. According to the report, only 0.1% of the UK population fully adheres to the NHS Eatwell Guide.

The authors argue that understanding how misinformation spreads – who drives it, why, and how it engages – is critical to improving public health messaging. “It’s not enough to have the facts,” the report concludes. “We need messengers who are credible and compelling.”

For Millbank, who is also a PhD researcher in sustainable food systems at Aston University, the issue is deeply personal and professional. “It is with enormous pride (and no small amount of frustration) that we officially launch this publication,” she wrote in a LinkedIn post announcing the report. “A deep dive into the who, why and how behind the viral health content shaping millions of decisions online.”

The full report is available at Rooted Research Collective, offering detailed insights for policymakers, health professionals, educators and anyone seeking to understand the complex digital ecosystem shaping what people eat – and believe – today.