# Diet and Psoriasis‐Related Information on Instagram: A Quality and Content Analysis of Posts Under Popular Psoriasis Hashtags

## TL;DR

This study analyzed Instagram posts about diet and psoriasis, finding most dietary advice is of poor quality and not backed by professionals.

## Contribution

The study is the first to evaluate the quality and content of psoriasis-related dietary advice on Instagram using the DISCERN instrument.

## Key findings

- Most Instagram posts recommending diets for psoriasis are of poor quality and created by non-healthcare professionals.
- Common dietary advice includes excluding alcohol and dairy, with little evidence to support these recommendations.
- Healthcare professionals should provide dietary guidance to counter misinformation found on social media.

## Abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic immune‐mediated skin condition. Evidence supporting dietary management of psoriasis is limited. However, People Living with Psoriasis (PLwP) trial dietary interventions as a management strategy, often taken from popular literature. Social media is a popular source of nutrition information. However, little is known about the dietary information suggested for psoriasis on these platforms. The aim of this study was to explore the dietary approaches suggested for psoriasis on Instagram and evaluate their quality.

Cross‐sectional content analysis of Instagram posts providing dietary information for plaque psoriasis management, posted under the 12 most popular psoriasis hashtags. Posts were evaluated for quality using the DISCERN instrument.

Overall, 138 Instagram posts were analysed. The most common type of dietary recommendation was ‘exclusion’, most frequently of alcohol and dairy. Detox and ‘clean eating’ were also frequently mentioned, as well as the inclusion of protein, and adherence to a gluten‐free diet. The most common content creators were those with those with lived experience of psoriasis (29.7%). None of the posts were created by qualified nutrition professionals and only 6.5% were by healthcare professionals (HCPs). The majority (99%) of posts identified were of ‘poor’ quality.

Most dietary information on Instagram for managing psoriasis is poor quality, restrictive, unsubstantiated and shared by non‐HCPs. Therefore, PLwP may be subject to dietary misinformation when using Instagram. HCPs should be equipped to counter diet and psoriasis misinformation. Further research is needed to investigate appropriate ways to provide dietary support for PLwP.

Most of the psoriasis‐related dietary information on Instagram is of poor quality and few posts are created by healthcare professionals. None of the dietary information identified was shared or created by a qualified nutrition professional.The most common dietary approach recommended was exclusion, most commonly suggesting the exclusion of alcohol or dairy.The findings suggest that PLwP may be subject to low‐quality and unsubstantiated dietary recommendations, whether they search for this type of information or not.These insights suggest that it is crucial for healthcare professionals to provide dietary support to PLwP to combat misinformation and minimise harm from following unsubstantiated dietary recommendations seen on Instagram.

Most of the psoriasis‐related dietary information on Instagram is of poor quality and few posts are created by healthcare professionals. None of the dietary information identified was shared or created by a qualified nutrition professional.

The most common dietary approach recommended was exclusion, most commonly suggesting the exclusion of alcohol or dairy.

The findings suggest that PLwP may be subject to low‐quality and unsubstantiated dietary recommendations, whether they search for this type of information or not.

These insights suggest that it is crucial for healthcare professionals to provide dietary support to PLwP to combat misinformation and minimise harm from following unsubstantiated dietary recommendations seen on Instagram.