The Wellness Information Overload (WIO) Problem
The advent of the internet opened a deluge of information for the everyday consumer. Drinking from the metaphorical firehose while researching a topic can be overwhelming and anxiety-producing, especially when it comes to one’s well-being. There is an abundance of health and wellness advice on the internet that is spouted by businesses, influencers, and Brad_Biceps32 from bodybuilding.com. It is becoming increasingly frustrating and exhausting with how often new health information that’s just released contradicts our old beliefs.
Protein. Fats. Macros. Sodium. Sugar. Carbohydrates. Amino Acid. Processed. These health buzzwords are important, but can be used to exploit the attention of the uninformed (like me). As someone who lifts weights semi-frequently, I try to keep track of my core macros (Protein, Carbohydrates, Fat) for muscle growth. I know what the plan is for and try not to convince myself that I’m eating “healthy” or “optimally”. New information/studies that come out will often have me exclaiming “See! My diet includes all the micro-nutrients I need”. But lets be real, I didn’t get into this diet for micro-nutrients though. My plan is specific for muscle growth and not insulin moderation, mental health care, or for an energy boost. So while Brad from bodybuilding.com might agree with my diet, my physician might want to adjust it according to my biometrics. For this reason, keeping a plan and remembering what your goals are for any type of diet are crucial. This will help calm your boat on the storm of information that frequents social media and even university studies.
Another effect of this anxiety from WIO (Wellness Information Overload) is eating disorders. Eating disorders affect at least 9% of the population worldwide. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition released data that between 2000 to 2018, global eating disorder prevalence increased from 3.4% to 7.8%. Of course there could be a multitude of reasons of why someone develops a disorder, but common triggers for binge-eating episodes (the most common eating disorder), include poor body self-image. What could possibly lead more to a poor body self-image than seeing the influx of influencers on social media (Instagram) telling you what to eat and not to eat. Fitness Influencers should not be regarded on the same level as profession dieticians. Just because a supplement makes you look good, doesn’t mean it is good FOR you.
It starts off positive; choosing a salad over a milkshake because the initial thought of getting better is exciting, but it can quickly divulge into low self-esteem when you inevitably can’t resist the genetically modified food that’s designed to neurologically hijack your dopamine and insulin systems. Why can’t I stay away from Chick-Fil-A’s sandwiches??
To add to the problem, the younger generation flock to social media to find answers to their health questions. They’ll find their go-to fitness influencer and scroll through their content to find the specific snack-sized tidbit of information that confirms their initial hypotheses. I have been victim to this cognitive bias trap before.
While talking about supplements, I got into an argument with a co-worker about the health benefits of taking fish oil supplements. I claimed that Omega-3 Fatty Acid found in Fish Oil supplement was necessary for those with heart issues. In reality, I had no clue whether or not it actually helped my heart or not. I had been taking it for years and never really noticed the effects it had on my blood vessels or cardiovascular system. It was just a blanket claim that I heard and regurgitated to those who would listen. After doing some research about the effects of fish oil, I found out that it can actually cause heartburn for some people. I’m not arguing that fish oil is bad for everyone. It’s specific to every individual and should be taken with discretion. (Side note: you should also try to get your Omega 3 from eating actual fish if you want the total health benefits of it apparently)
We as the consumers of information must disseminate what is critical to our specific health metrics. Funneling important information down our pipeline while sifting out unsupported claim/articles is the corner stone to health and fitness education.
