Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Predictions estimate that the majority of the global population will be living with overweight and obesity by 2035. Due to its widespread use and ability to disseminate information, social media has a potentially prominent role in obesity care and education. Regulatory bodies issue ethical guidance on social media use. However, it is unknown how healthcare professionals’ (HCP) online activity affects people living with obesity. By exploring their perspectives, we can gain insight and develop a framework to inform good practice around social media use.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with people living with overweight and obesity who use social media. Participants were recruited via the Irish Coalition for People Living with Obesity and three clinical sites offering weight management services. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes.

Findings: Fifteen interviews took place with 12 female and 3 male participants between April and June 2023. We identified four key themes of how people living with obesity perceive HCPs’ online representation of the disease: (i) Negative and Stigmatising Perception – HCPs perpetuated bias and fat-phobia while using simplistic and generalizing language that caused people living with obesity to feel shame, fear, and anger. (ii)Empowerment and Disparity– social media allows HCPs to educate, inform and change public perception. However, there is a limited presence currently, leaving a desire for access to accurate medical information. (iii) Credibility and Expertise– qualifications, professional titles and academic association affected the perceived trustworthiness of information and its impact on readers. (IV) Engagement and Responsibility – Risk of retaliation and perceived responsibility were barriers for HCP engagement.

Conclusion: People living with overweight/obesity are adversely affected by HCPs stigmatising representation on social media, which is characterised by outdated conceptualisations and misinformation. There is a desire for increased presence by specialist HCPs to enhance disease awareness and reduce stigma.