YouTube videos on nutrition and pediatric cancer: scientific reliability and quality

YouTube is widely used as a source of information on health and nutrition. However, concerns exist regarding the reliability and scientific accuracy of its content. This study aims to evaluate the quality, reliability, and scientific accuracy of YouTube videos related to pediatric cancer and nutrition.

The reliability of the videos was assessed using the mDISCERN scale, their quality was evaluated with the Global Quality Scale (GQS), and their comprehensiveness was measured using the Nutrition and Pediatric Cancer Scoring System (NPCSS), a scale specifically developed for this study.

Of the analyzed videos, 60% were classified as useful, while 40% were deemed misleading. Highly reliable videos were found to be longer and more comprehensive; however, their viewership rates were significantly lower (p < 0.05). The majority (66.7%) of the useful videos were presented by dietitians. Correlation analyses demonstrated strong positive relationships between reliability, quality, and comprehensiveness (p < 0.001). Nevertheless, as video quality and reliability increased, viewership rates tended to decrease. The instruments demonstrated an area under the curve ranging between 0.90 and 0.97.

YouTube contains limited content on pediatric cancer and nutrition, and only slightly more than half of the available videos are classified as useful. Even these useful videos receive low audience engagement, revealing a gap between content quality and viewer reach. This highlights the need to increase high-quality content and enhance the visibility of reliable information.