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

Abstract

Background Social networks have been pointed out as 1 of the greatest means of spreading information. A large part of the population is already present on these platforms, looking up subjects such as health, nutrition, and food. To reach this audience, it may be important for dietitians to explore social networks. However, there is a gap in scientific studies on exploring the ways in which these platforms are used by dietitians in Brazil, and the roles they play in the profession have not been well defined. Objective This study aims to describe the roles that social networks play in dietitians' practice in Brazil and their mode of use of social networks. This study also aims to identify professionals’ perceptions and opinions regarding the use of these tools, as well as changes in behavior on social network usage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We carried out a quantitative cross-sectional study, collecting data through an online questionnaire, submitted between October 2020 and January 2021 to dietitians registered on the Federal Council of Dietitians. All participants included in the study answered questions about the use of social networks in their professional context. Results In total, 264 (91.7%) of the 288 participants reported using social networks for professional practice. Instagram was the social network most often used by professionals (224/264, 84.8%). Dietitians (N=288) related to the use of social networks (always to almost always) for sharing information about their services (n=114-72 [39.6%-25%], respectively), following the work of other dietitians (n=172-64 [59.7%-22.2%], respectively), and writing about topics related to food and nutrition (n=166-53 [57.6%-18.4%], respectively). The roles played by social networks in the professional context of dietitians were attracting more clients (210/289, 72.7%) and keeping in touch with them (195/289, 67.5%). Furthermore, 227 (78.5%) of the 289 dietitians strongly agreed that social networks are good tools to promote their services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 216 (74.7%) of the 289 participants noticed changes in their behavior, feelings, or beliefs on the use of social networks related to professional practice, and 149 (51.6%) have increased the frequency of sharing information about nutrition and health in general on social networks. Conclusions The main roles of social networks in the professional context of dietitians are to attract clients and to facilitate the contact between professional and client. The modes of use reported by the professionals included sharing information about their services, following the work of professional colleagues, and writing about topics related to nutrition. Most of them reported believing that social networks are an effective way to disseminate their services. Moreover, most professionals claimed to have noticed changes in their behaviors or beliefs on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

“…Approximately 60% of the dietitians used social media for their work, which aligns with findings from previous studies, where the professional social media usage among dietitians has been ranged from 38% 13 to around 90%. 5,7 Dietitians highlighted several key professional benefits of using social media, including monitoring the nutrition field, sharing information and interacting and networking with colleagues. These reasons have also been commonly reported in previous studies examining dietitians' social media use.…”

“…We formulated the questions based on previous studies to describe the use of social media in the profession of registered dietitians. 2,5,7,13 Additionally, we created a few more questions to explore dietitians' social media skills and factors influencing their social media use. The survey consisted of a mixture of structured multiple-choice questions (including Likertscale questions) and open-ended questions.…”

“…5 For example, social media offers dietitians collegial support and networking opportunities, simplifies the monitoring of up-to-date information and promotes customer interaction and career opportunities. [5][6][7] The presence in social media can provide valuable visibility for the professional group, facilitating the dissemination of reliable nutritional information and promoting awareness about the significance of nutritional therapy. 5,8,9 So far, studies of social media utilisation as part of dietitians' work have, however, mainly investigated whether social media is an effective tool to promote behaviour changes related to diet, physical activity or lifestyle.…”

“…[5][6][7] The presence in social media can provide valuable visibility for the professional group, facilitating the dissemination of reliable nutritional information and promoting awareness about the significance of nutritional therapy. 5,8,9 So far, studies of social media utilisation as part of dietitians' work have, however, mainly investigated whether social media is an effective tool to promote behaviour changes related to diet, physical activity or lifestyle. 1 Similarly, social media has been seen mainly as a means of communication, and its use patterns have not been described in more detail.…”

Young Australian Adults Prefer Video Posts for Dissemination of Nutritional Information over the Social Media Platform Instagram: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Survey

“…The rising popularity of Instagram offers a new opportunity to deliver health promotion programs at a relatively low cost. A survey conducted in Brazilian dietitians identified that Instagram was the most popular social networking site and was commonly used to generate content related to food and nutrition [ 16 ]. Instagram has been previously used to implement a social media campaign promotion for healthy eating during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada [ 17 ] and delivered an exercise program in Australian females aged 18–30 years [ 18 ].…”