Investigation and quality evaluation of Internet videos related to diet therapy for chronic pancreatitis

Diet therapy can help alleviate chronic pancreatitis symptoms. The quality of diet therapy content in Internet videos varies markedly. Evaluating and assessing these videos is crucial for providing reliable patient education. This study aims to analyze 102 Internet videos regarding dietary therapy for chronic pancreatitis on media platforms in China (Bilibili, Weibo, and Tiktok) and rate their content, reliability, and quality. Videos were categorized into 3 sources: hospital or university officials, medical doctors, and independent users. An 8-point scale was used to score content (smoking, drinking, eating frequency, overeating, and nutrient intake [high-quality protein, low fat, nutrition, and dietary fiber]). An adapted DISCERN tool was used to assess reliability, with the Global Quality Scale employed to measure quality. Among the 102 videos analyzed, 34 (4, 9, and 21 from hospital or university officials, medical doctors, and independent users, respectively) were rated as low quality, 37 (8, 12, and 17 from hospital or university officials, medical doctors, and independent users, respectively) were rated as moderate quality, and 31 (7, 19, and 6 from hospital or university officials, medical doctors, and independent users, respectively) were rated as high quality. Thus, among 102 videos from TikTok, Weibo, and Bilibili, only 31 (30.4%) were considered high quality based on reliability and quality assessments, and some were misleading. Our findings suggest nearly 70% of health videos fail to meet high-quality standards, highlighting critical needs for improved content moderation across media platforms. Medical professionals and institutions should be encouraged to produce more high-quality Internet videos with comprehensive content to better guide and support patients with pancreatitis in adopting effective dietary therapy.