Be skeptical about information from influencers, including dietitians, on food and nutrition

Influencers are required to let consumers clearly know that they’re being paid for their content.

After the World Health Organization classified artificial sweeteners such as aspartame as a possible carcinogens, influencers – including some dietitians – began posting content criticizing the WHO’s action. Aspartame is used in products such as diet soda, yogurt, and chewing gum.

Influencers also recently are touting the “benefits” of sugar telling consumers it’s O.K. for kids to eat candy with meals, disregarding health warnings about how eating too much sugar is harmful to health.

Influencers tout products, but don't clearly disclose who paid them

The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on influencers.

The food and beverage industry is paying popular dietitians to promote industry friendly posts on social media that often failed to disclose the names of sponsors, an investigation by The Washington Post and the Examination, a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on health, found.

FTC warns influencers and trade groups

The FTC staff took note of the investigation and on Wednesday sent warning letters to two trade associations and 12 registered dieticians and other online health influencers warning them about the lack of adequate disclosures in their Instagram and TikTok posts promoting the safety of the artificial sweetener aspartame or the consumption of sugar-containing products.

The letters to the trade groups, the American Beverage Association and The Canadian Sugar Institute, express concerns that the organizations may have violated the FTC Act by failing to adequately disclose that the influencers were apparently hired to promote the safety of aspartame or the consumption of sugar-containing products.

“It’s irresponsible for any trade group to hire influencers to tout its members’ products and fail to ensure that the influencers come clean about that relationship,” said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “That’s certainly true for health and safety claims about sugar and aspartame, especially when made by registered dieticians and others upon whom people rely for advice about what to eat and drink.”

The letter to the American Beverage Association details concerns about posts on Instagram and TikTok by Valerie Agyeman, Nichole Andrews, Leslie Bonci, Keri Gans, Stephanie Grasso, Cara Harbstreet, Andrea Miller, Idrees Mughal, Adam Pecoraro, and Mary Ellen Phipps, each of whom also received an individual warning letter.

The letter to The Canadian Sugar Institute expresses concerns about Instagram posts by Jenn Messina and Lindsay Pleskot, each of whom also received an individual warning letter.

Paid endorsements should clearly and conspicuously disclose any unexpected material connections to ensure that consumers have the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions, the FTC said in a statement.

Each of the warning letters identified what appeared to be paid posts that either didn’t disclose a material connection, or that contained disclosures that may be inadequate. Each letter explained staff’s concerns on disclosures, including inconspicuous placement, ambiguous language, or the failure to clearly identify the sponsor of the posts.

Each letter also included the FTC’s notice of penalty offenses for misleading endorsements and said that the recipient could face civil penalties of up to $50,120 per violation for future failures to disclose unexpected material connections.

In addition, each letter asked the recipient to contact agency staff within 15 days and detail any actions taken or that will be taken to address staff’s concerns.

Healthy food advocate calls FTC action terrific

Marion Nestle, an emeritus professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, called the FTC’s action “terrific,” according to an article in The Washington Post.

“It’s not okay for soda companies to hire dietitians to flog their products and not admit that they’re taking their money,” Nestle said. “This is a situation in which consumer protection is absolutely essential, and the FTC is acting in the interest of consumers.”

So, view with skepticism posts on social media from influencers, including dietitians, that hype unhealthy foods and diets.

Comments

[Jennifer]

Interesting. I hadn't read about this before.

[Rebecca Olkowski]

I get a lot of pitches from brands as a blogger but reject anything having to do with most supplements, diet programs, and other scammy stuff.

[Rita]

The upsetting thing about these actions by influencers, including dietitians, is that their recommendations went against what research has established about artificial sweeteners and sugar. The Washington Post article had six people in two rows of videos and the influencers were saying things like sugar isn't that bad for you-give your child a candy bar with a meal to get the child to eat the dinner and the WHO is wrong about artificial sweeteners being bad for people. What the FTC sent the letters about was they hadn't clearly disclosed they were paid by sweetener companies and a sugar trade association for their recommendations. It's just plain wrong.