Frequency of health warnings and external citations in posts from health and wellness influencers, by influencer background
Among health/wellness influencers who say they are a(n) __, % of posts that …
| Influencer background | Cites health sources | Health warning |
|---|---|---|
| Health professional | 13 | 16 |
| Conventional medicine | 18 | 20 |
| Allied health | 11 | 14 |
| Complementary, alternative and integrative health | 16 | 22 |
| Dietician/ Nutritionist | 12 | 14 |
| Mental health | 10 | 12 |
| Coach | 5 | 7 |
| Entrepreneur | 11 | 14 |
| Life experience | 6 | 8 |
| Author | 15 | 15 |
| Athlete | 5 | 5 |
| Activist | 10 | 14 |
| Researcher | 30 | 21 |
| No credentials | 5 | 7 |
Note: Biographic information for health and wellness influencers derived from their social media bios. Posts with a health warning contain claims that a specific health practice will cause a direct harm to physical or mental health.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 535,512 Instagram, TikTok and YouTube posts published by 6,334 health and wellness influencers from February to April 2026.
“What Do Health and Wellness Influencers Post About?”
“What Do Health and Wellness Influencers Post About?”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
