TikTok is influencing our approach to diet and wellness — but is that a good thing?
From the hot girl walk to 'little treat' culture, TikTok is influencing Gen Z's approach to diet and wellness. But is the platform encouraging positive changes or promoting obsessive and unhealthy habits?
Health and wellness is a booming corner of TikTok but can be a minefield
Social media has infiltrated almost all areas of our lives, from the meals we eat to the clothes we wear. Ask it a question and it will provide you with answers aplenty. What came first, the habit or the TikTok Trend? It’s fair to ask the question: do we do these things because we want to? Or because people on the internet told us to?
Health and wellness, in particular, is a booming corner of TikTok, garnering over 14.3 million posts combined. Almost every topic is covered, from hot girl walks to habit hacks. I find videos of people sharing lists of things they’ve done to elevate their life, whether it’s eating fruit in the shower or cutting gluten from their diet. The videos are made with such enthusiasm that they could convince almost anyone to “transform” their lives.
But this is a judgement-free zone, as I too fall victim to these trends. Allow me to let you in on a secret... I start each day with a homemade ginger and turmeric shot. I do this, not because my doctor told me to, but because a video convinced me that it would be beneficial. For the most part, it has been — or, at least, it’s certainly not doing me any harm. Did it clear my skin like the wellness gurus promised it would? No, it did not.
Cork-based Dr Monica Peres Oikeh lists some of the health and wellness trends that have gone viral recently: “Ozempic has been a huge trend. Then, from that, there’s been budget Ozempic alternatives. There’s been a rise in things like free bleeding, the carnivore diet, getting more protein into your diet by mixing a protein shake with Diet Coke and towards the end of last year, we saw the ‘75 Hard’ challenge gain popularity.”
With experience as both a GP and a TikToker creator herself, Dr Peres Oikeh says that while some trends can be a positive inclusion to our routines, others can be detrimental. “Unfortunately, many health trends lack a scientific basis and are often promoted by individuals without proper qualifications. This can lead to harmful consequences for people following unvetted advice.”
Dr Monica Peres Oikeh is a GP and TikTok creator. She urges caution when it comes to social media health trends.
One woman, Katie O’Neil, was inspired to try and improve her gut health after seeing an influx of videos on the subject. She sometimes wonders, however, if it has caused her more harm than good.
“I found a video explaining how a woman had healed her gut health. I suffer from bloating and unbalanced hormones so I realised that maybe my gut is where my health issues were coming from. I started by taking a daily probiotic and getting more fibre in my diet but I didn’t see much change and figured I must have not been doing enough.
"The woman I followed would share before and after pictures, looking completely transformed, and I didn’t look that way so I amped things up a bit.”
From here, O’Neil overhauled her diet completely, swapping out all of the food she ate for “clean” whole foods. “I saw another video saying that apple cider vinegar was good for digestion, so I would take one before every meal. I would have green superfood powder and nutrient smoothies and I was taking at least three different supplements that claimed to do something different.”
What began as a positive way to improve her health soon turned into a ritual that took over. O’Neil says that once she noticed that her new wellness routine was affecting her quality of life, something had to change.
“I’m a big believer in balance and it took me a while to realise that looking after my gut became so intense that I had no balance in my life. I would say no to social settings with alcohol or processed food. I would cook my own food before going to a friend’s and I was spending a fortune each month on all these supplements TikTok recommended. I saw a slight difference, but not enough for everything that I was sacrificing.
"I slowly stopped all of these habits and now I do small things to look after my gut and health but still enjoy my life without feeling obsessive.”
Adele Miner: I too fall victim to these trends. Picture: Gareth Chaney
One TikTok caused Jodie Cunningham to change the way she shops forever.
“It all started with a video about bread. It explained how brown bread or bread with grains doesn’t necessarily mean it’s any better than white bread, even though we’ve been led to think that. I was interested in the video and from there, the algorithm did its thing and I got more videos explaining how deceiving package labels can be.”
She feels this has been a positive change, however.
"I’ve never been one for diets. I tend to eat what I want but, now, with this new knowledge, I can make better choices when I shop, choosing the healthier alternatives. I feel a bit strange standing there in the shops reading packaging and labels but, to me, it’s worth taking that extra time out.”
That being said, she still believes that social media can be a minefield when it comes to getting legitimate information. “Don’t always believe everything you see online. You should do your own research before taking it as truth.
I’ve come across videos of doctors and nutritionists debunking videos that I had taken advice from in the past, so you always have to be careful.
Curating social feeds that serve us positively is each individual’s responsibility. While it’s possible to go down a negative rabbit hole, it’s also possible to pull back and create a space that works with you, rather than against.
Dr Peres Oikeh has some simple but sage advice when it comes to health and wellness trends: “Always consult a healthcare professional, such as your doctor, who knows your medical history, before trying out any trends. Additionally, ensure you’re getting advice from qualified experts, not just influencers claiming to be knowledgeable in health.”
