theGIST Issue 12

Science in the Spotlight
A bad influence?
When Kim Kardashian posted a
sponsored advert for appetite-suppressant
lollipops on Instagram
last year [1], she most likely
thought it was just another day in
the life and career of a social media
influencer; after all, it wasn't
the first post she had made promoting
a weight-loss product, and
she was far from the only influencer
to do so. This time, however,
she was met with heavy criticism –
most notably from Jameela Jamil,
British actress and founder of the 'I
Weigh' body positivity movement –
because it was felt that this particular
product targeted children.
To date, Kardashian has over
150 million followers on Instagram,
so most popular news outlets spent
days reporting on her lollipopthemed
saga. Three months prior,
much less media attention was
paid to the publication of NHS data
showing that hospital admissions
for eating disorders increased by
191% over the previous six-year
period [2]. With the biggest increase
shown in teenage patients,
and with research demonstrating
that social media affects body image
in adolescents, it is understandable
and justified that diet
products aimed at such at-risk
groups receive this kind of condemnation.
It begs the question,
however – when eating disorder
rates are increasing for adults too,
why don't adverts targeting this
demographic receive the same
level of contempt?
Perhaps it's assumed that
adults have the capability to make
completely informed
and independent decisions,
free from the
effects of marketing
campaigns. This ignores
the strong effects
of popular media
culture on our
choices, even on those who believe
themselves to be unaffected [3]. As
modern technologies such as TiVo
and AdBlocker allow users to bypass
more traditional advertising
methods, marketers have sought
out new ways to reach target audiences,
leading to the rise of influencer
promotions. While traditional
marketing sells a product, social
media influencers essentially sell a
lifestyle. They share so much of
their lives online that followers feel
as if they know them. This makes
their promotions feel
like recommendations
from a trusted friend.
The result is that whilst
traditional adverts are
seen as an annoyance
to be avoided, 1 in 4
people in the UK have
purchased something
based on an influencer's
promotion and 1 in 5 say they actually
like seeing sponsored posts
from influencers [4].
On the other hand, it's perhaps
assumed that since they are being
publicly advertised, these products
are safe to use. Unfortunately,
that's not necessarily the case.
Here in the UK, over-the-counter
anorectic drugs (also commonly
known as appetite suppressants)
are not regulated by the Medicines
and Healthcare Products Regulatory
Agency (MHRA) and their history as
a prescription product highlights
their potential dangers.
Until 2010, anorectic drugs were
prescribed by the NHS to people over
a certain BMI. Doctors were able to
look at patients' existing conditions
and medications: they understood
when it was appropriate to offer a
prescription and when it wasn't. This
practice stopped entirely upon the
discovery that sibutramine hydrochloride
monohydrate, the active ingredient
in the most popular
anorectic drug of the time, was associated
with increased risk of heart
attack and stroke. Products containing
this active ingredient were
promptly banned by the European
Medicines Agency (EMA) and were
withdrawn from NHS prescription as
a result. It was an example of regulatory
bodies working well to ensure
product safety and suitability.
In comparison, people purchasing
products via social media adverts
are rarely fully informed about the
potential risks associated with their
personal circumstances. With a correlation
established between depression
and poor body image [5],
one concern is that people taking
antidepressants may be more likely
to purchase these products, not
realising the risk attached to combining
their medication with weightloss
supplements.
www.the-GIST.org