Dietitians and Nutritionists Behaviour on Social Media: A Scoping Literature Review

Abstract

At its present state, Social Media (SM) is an important stage to promote user participation, acting as an open space for the discussion of a multitude of fields, one of which being health. Professionals, like Registered Nutritionists and Dietitians (RNDs), whose access to media was traditionally more restricted, are also more engaged in this new context, creating a new scenario. To better understand how is this group of professionals using social media to communicate with their audiences is the main objective of this study. To approach this topic, a mapping was conducted, followed by a presentation of the summary of the evidence discovered: RDNs demographic and professional profile; their most used social media tools; the reasons why they use social media; their common behaviours and attitudes, as well as a review of the gaps and shortcomings in the literature. A literature review, using a structured approach was also conducted. 2877 works were screened, but only 8 were associated with answers. Of these 8, there were 2 studies that partially presented a quantitative analysis. Results show lacks in consolidated studies that can be used to support the creation of knowledge in this field. This lead to conclude that research about social media usage by nutritionist, at present, remains in a nascent stage and requires further studies.

Use of Social Networks in the Context of the Dietitian’s Practice in Brazil and Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploratory Study

“…Another review conducted by Saboia et al [ 14 ] also evidenced the lack of studies that can describe how dietitians are using social networks. In a 2020 publication [ 15 ], the same authors designed a questionnaire to understand the dynamics of social media use by dietitians for future application with dietitians in Portugal.…”

The role of social media in the professional sphere of Finnish registered dietitians

“…Over the past few years, more attention has been drawn to how registered dietitians utilise social media. [1][2][3] Social media refers to online platforms enabling users to create, share and exchange content, fostering communication and interaction among individuals and groups worldwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the widespread adoption of remote interaction increased the interest of dietitians in the professional utilisation of social media.…”

“…1 Similarly, social media has been seen mainly as a means of communication, and its use patterns have not been described in more detail. 3 There is limited information available regarding the use of social media from the perspective of dietitians. 3 This includes aspects such as their attitudes towards social media, the specific social media platforms they tend to utilise the most, the reasons behind their use of social media and their proficiency in using various social media channels.…”

“…3 There is limited information available regarding the use of social media from the perspective of dietitians. 3 This includes aspects such as their attitudes towards social media, the specific social media platforms they tend to utilise the most, the reasons behind their use of social media and their proficiency in using various social media channels. Given the growing prevalence of social media, 10 it is crucial to determine the extent to which dietitians utilise social media into their work, their proficiency in utilising social media platforms and any potential barriers they may encounter in its utilisation.…”

“…Over the past few years, more attention has been drawn to how registered dietitians utilise social media 1–3 . Social media refers to online platforms enabling users to create, share and exchange content, fostering communication and interaction among individuals and groups worldwide.…”