This study aimed to evaluate the quality of diabetes-related health information on TikTok and to measure the extent of misinformation on the platform. The authors analysed 171 videos using two validated health literacy assessment tools — DISCERN and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials (PEMAT-A/V) — to assess both the understandability and actionability of online medical content.
The findings highlight a need for healthcare professionals to actively engage on social media platforms to provide accurate, evidence-based diabetes information. The authors also recommend that users seeking health advice online rely on reputable sources, such as official diabetes organisations’ social media accounts, which typically verify content with clinicians.
Young adults with type 1 diabetes frequently turn to social media for educational content. The diabetes online community (DOC) is a broad and active digital space spanning platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok. These communities offer emotional support, shared experiences, and practical advice on managing blood glucose levels, using continuous glucose monitoring systems, and even crowdfunding medical costs through platforms like GoFundMe.
While the DOC often provides psychosocial benefits and improves engagement among people with type 1 diabetes, young adults also experience gaps in diabetes management and education, making accessible, high-quality information especially important.
TikTok, formerly known as Musical.ly, is a short-form video platform where users upload content ranging from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. It is one of the most widely downloaded social media apps globally, with over one billion users, particularly popular among people aged 18–30.
Social media platforms like TikTok are widely viewed as both beneficial and potentially harmful. On one hand, they can spread mental health awareness and foster supportive communities. On the other hand, they can also promote harmful behaviours and misinformation. The study notes that TikTok content related to diabetes has attracted over 16 billion views, with a large proportion of viewers aged 18–24. Viral trends, such as those involving medications like semaglutide (e.g., #Ozempic), demonstrate how quickly health-related content can influence public behaviour and even contribute to drug shortages.
The platform hosts a wide range of content creators, including people with diabetes, healthcare professionals, health coaches, and individuals without medical expertise. However, much of this content is not formally fact-checked, raising concerns about the spread of inaccurate or misleading health advice.
Despite the volume of available content, little research has been conducted on its quality or impact on health behaviours. The study addresses this gap by examining who produces diabetes-related content on TikTok and how reliable it is.
Research design and methods
The study was exempt from institutional review board oversight. Researchers selected five popular diabetes-related hashtags: #t1d, #t1diabetes, #type1diabetes, #t1dtips, and #t1dcoach.
Using web-scraping software (Apify), 171 eligible TikTok videos posted between June 2022 and June 2023 were analysed. Video metadata such as likes, views, and comments were collected.
Each video was assessed using REDCap by seven researchers. Content creators were classified into categories such as health coaches, people with type 1 diabetes, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and others.
Two key tools were used for evaluation:
- DISCERN instrument: assessed reliability and quality of health information (16 questions covering treatment, risks, benefits, and clarity; total score 16–80).
- PEMAT-A/V: measured understandability and actionability of health information.
Higher scores indicated better-quality, clearer, and more actionable content.
Results
The sample included 171 videos from 63 creators. Videos had a median of 263,400 views and were typically short (median length: 38 seconds).
Content breakdown:
- 37.4% useful tips or informational content
- 33.3% personal experiences
- 18.1% humour
- 11.1% misleading or misinformation
Creators:
- 45.6% health coaches
- 39.8% people living with type 1 diabetes
- 11.1% caregivers
- small proportions from healthcare professionals and others
Quality of information
Overall quality scores were relatively low:
- Mean DISCERN score: 24.33/80 (very poor quality range)
- Mean understandability (PEMAT-A/V): 58.40%
- Mean actionability: 38.79%
Key findings:
- Caregiver-generated content scored higher in quality than content from health coaches or patients.
- Content from people with type 1 diabetes and caregivers was more understandable than that from health coaches.
- However, caregiver content was also more actionable than the other groups.
Around 11.1% of videos contained misleading or inaccurate information.
Conclusions
The study concludes that while TikTok hosts a large volume of diabetes-related content and offers community support, the overall quality of medical information is low and inconsistent.
Most content is not professionally verified, which increases the risk of misinformation — especially among young users who are more likely to rely on social media for health advice.
The authors argue that healthcare professionals should actively contribute to platforms like TikTok to improve the accuracy of health information, and that users should prioritise trusted medical organisations when seeking diabetes-related guidance online.