A recent survey from Pew Research Center found that 57% of women ages 18–29 have sought health advice from an influencer, outpacing men of the same age. As many struggle to access care or find providers they connect with, women are increasingly DIY-ing their wellness routines, trusting social media creators and even anonymous Reddit users for advice.
Women are also more likely to encounter wellness content across social platforms. Dominating in beauty, 51% of young women are served related content, compared to 18% of men. The trend continues across alternative and mainstream medicine, mental health, supplements and cleanses, and weight loss. The exception, 57% of young men consume fitness-related influencer content, surpassing women by 10 percentage points.
For many women, influencers fill gaps left by traditional healthcare.Nearly one-quarter value hearing from creators who share similar backgrounds, while 19% turn to influencers on topics they don’t feel comfortable asking their provider about.
Although young women lead the trend, influencer-driven health advice is becoming mainstream, with half of Americans under 50 now tapping creators for health information.
