Nutritionist Sally Joseph slams social media influencers over health advice
A professional nutritionist who has worked with Aussie A-listers including Miranda Kerr has taken aim at social media influencers offering dangerous health advice with no real knowledge or training.
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Clinical nutritionist Sally Joseph has warned Australians not to take medical or health advice from influencers.
The author of Love Your Gut, who has worked with the likes of Miranda Kerr and Layne Beachley, said people need to be more discerning with the information they consume on social media.
“When reading or seeking out information on health online, consumers need to be really mindful of asking themselves who the person is that’s offering up the health advice,” Byron Bay based Joseph told Confidential.
“Do they have any formal qualifications in health and clinical experience to scientifically back up what they are saying, particularly when it comes to health supplements or products, because taking health advice from anyone who isn’t formally qualified to offer it can potentially be dangerous if they have no understanding or formal training in health care.”
Joseph specialises in gut health and works alongside conventional medical doctors in managing the healthcare of her clients.
She said it can be difficult to work out who to take information from as we are “bombarded” with content online.
Influencers and celebrities are fine to promote a healthy lifestyle, she said, just not to give out advice if they are not qualified to do so.
“There is no regulation around it and that can be concerning,” she explained. “It is essential to be discerning and only take health advice from health professionals qualified to do so, rather than someone who simply has a celebrity status, or mass following on social media because that doesn’t translate to being a health professional. People need to use their head when they are choosing who to listen to. You have got to be switched on when it comes to your health.”