This project aims to explore how AOMs are portrayed on social media, and how exposure to such content influences public perceptions of AOMs, a healthy diet, and obesity. Through automated content analysis and focus groups, the research will uncover the narratives and potential risks associated with social media exposure to AOM content, such as increased weight stigma, health inequalities, and unsafe medication use.

The project also aims to develop actionable solutions to protect people from harmful AOM content. By combining insights from communication science, health law, and public health, legal recommendations as well as evidence-based communication interventions will be proposed, like content restrictions, warning messages, and/or misinformation debunking campaigns. Supported by four external partners – Partnership Overweight Netherlands (PON), Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ), Keuringsraad Aanprijzing Gezondheidsproducten (KAG) and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre – this interdisciplinary initiative will contribute to healthier online environments and inform public policies to help preventing un- or misinformed decisions on new medications that may have (still unknown) negative consequences for physical and mental health.

Research team:

• dr. Luc Hagenaars, Faculty of Medicine (FdG; Amsterdam UMC), Public and Occupational Health
• dr. Coosje Dijkstra, Faculty of Medicine (FdG; Amsterdam UMC), Public and Occupational Health
• dr. Bibian van der Voorn, VU Health Sciences