Social Media Influencers and Health Literacy in Adolescents
Author Information
Author(s): Sercu Lies
Primary Institution: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven)
Hypothesis
Does the use of social media influencers improve adolescents' health and food literacy?
Conclusion
The study found that more frequent use of social media influencers is associated with better health and food literacy among adolescents.
Supporting Evidence
- The more adolescents use social media influencers, the better their health literacy and food literacy.
- Adolescents who follow influencers providing health tips score higher in food literacy.
- Daily social media use for health information correlates with better health literacy scores.
Takeaway
If kids watch more health tips from social media stars, they might learn more about being healthy and eating well.
Methodology
The study used questionnaires to assess health literacy and food literacy among adolescents and their use of social media influencers.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reporting and the lack of validation for some measurement scales.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported data, which may lead to overestimation of health literacy levels.
Participant Demographics
232 boys and 270 girls from Flemish schools.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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