Rethinking the 'wellness influencer': Medical doctors, lifestyle expertise and the question of credentials

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Medical Sociology
• Health Communication

Background:

• Medical doctors are prominent in online wellness content, particularly on Instagram.
• Existing research on wellness influencers often overlooks the role of qualified medical professionals.
• The study addresses the gap in understanding how doctors function within the wellness influencer landscape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge current definitions of 'wellness influencer' by including medical professionals.
• To analyze the role and impact of medically qualified individuals in online wellness content.
• To explore whether medical credentials mitigate the inherent issues within wellness influencing.

Main Methods:

• A case study approach was used to examine three prominent UK-based medical doctors on Instagram.
• The study involved analyzing their online content and public presence within the wellness sphere.
• Conceptual analysis was applied to challenge existing notions of wellness influencers.

Main Results:

• Medical doctors are central figures in online wellness networks, contrary to prior scholarly assumptions.
• The analysis indicates that medical qualifications do not inherently resolve the problematic aspects of wellness influencing.
• Medically qualified influencers expand the traditional role of doctors in lifestyle regulation.

Conclusions:

• The category of 'wellness influencer' should be expanded to include individuals with recognized medical expertise.
• The presence of doctors as social media celebrities may not be a solution to the challenges in wellness influencing.
• Further attention is needed to understand the ideological functions of medically qualified wellness influencers.