Nutrition Misinformation in the Digital Age

Marlana is presenting the findings of The Nutrition Misinformation in the Digital Age report that analysed over one million Instagram posts, identifying high-impact “super-spreaders” responsible for much of the platform’s misleading nutrition content. The study found that online claims consistently conflicted with established evidence on balanced diets, saturated fat, and food safety.

The report identifies different personas and delves into the use of different emotional and communication tactics such as fearmongering, joy-mongering and subtle sprinkling of misinformation into lifestyle content that each of them typically use. Most influencers lacked relevant nutrition qualifications and monetised their claims through businesses, affiliate links, sponsorships or expensive coaching. The report highlights the need for stronger digital literacy and more effective, evidence-based public health communication.

Originally presented at the Member Led Meeting Decoding Nutrition Misinformation: Separating Fact from Fiction, held in Dublin on 27 November 2025.

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Marlana Malerich

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Marlana Malerich is a co-founder at Rooted Research Collective, a research and consulting organization focused on the intersection of food, sustainability, and public health. She is also a PhD candidate at the University of Sussex Business School, focused on consumer behaviour and the adoption of sustainable diets. Prior to the PhD, she has worked for over ten years at the intersection of food and sustainability, and has served as an adjunct assistant professor, focusing on animal agriculture and the future of protein.

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Nutrition Misinformation in the Digital Age

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