Who Are America’s Health and Wellness Influencers?

May 6 ETDeveloping

Health Desk

In Short: Pew Research Center analyzed 6,828 social media influencers with at least 100,000 followers who discuss health and wellness, finding that most turn to health care providers for guidance.

Pew Research Center conducted an in-depth study to identify and analyze the individuals who influence health and wellness discussions in the United States. By examining social media profiles of 6,828 influencers with at least 100,000 followers on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, the research aimed to understand the landscape of health and wellness influencers.

The majority of U.S. adults seek guidance from health care providers in navigating the complex world of health and wellness. This underscores the importance of reliable and authoritative sources in shaping public health perceptions and behaviors.

In the analysis, influencers were categorized based on their content. Those categorized as citing life experience often highlight their personal medical conditions, disabilities, or fitness journeys in their social media bios, providing relatable and authentic insights to their followers.

This study provides insights into the diverse range of influencers who play a significant role in health and wellness discussions, from medical professionals to individuals sharing personal health journeys.

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Here is more information about how we identified the influencers included in this study and how we defined the different topics and categories we measured in the analysis.
The vast majority of U.S. adults turn to health care providers for guidance through this confusing landscape.
To learn more about who these influencers are and how they present themselves to the world, we identified 6,828 individuals with at least 100,000 followers on YouTube, TikTok or Instagram that regularly post about…
Influencers categorized as citing life experience often mention their medical conditions, disabilities or fitness journeys in their social media bios.

Sources

Pew Research Centerlink