| Abstract [eng] |
Background. Posts on social networks created by influencers may depict and promote a variety of lifestyle-related factors that may affect health. There is a lack of studies about the prevalence of depiction of lifestyle-related factors. The aim of study was to compare the prevalence of lifestyle-related factors in publicly available Instagram and Facebook posts published in 2022 and 2024 by the most popular Lithuanian influencers, regarding the characteristics of the influencers and their posts. Tasks of work. With respect to the characteristics of the influencers and their posts to compare the prevalence of factors associated with dietary habits (1), alcohol and nicotine use (2), physical activity (3), and mental health (4) in Instagram and Facebook posts published by the most popular Lithuanian influencers in 2022 and 2024. Materials and methods. All publicly available posts published in 2022 and 2024 on Instagram and Facebook by the 39 most popular Lithuanian influencers were analysed. The distribution of the posts depicting different lifestyle factors was assessed according to social networks, influencers’ and their posts’ characteristics. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire-like instrument. The chi-square test was used to assess the distribution across categorical variables. Results. A total number of 12,433 posts were analysed. Of these, 6,425 posts were published in 2022 and 6,008 in 2024. In 2024, the prevalence of posts depicting lifestyle factors related to food, alcohol, and physical activity, as well as mental health risk factors, increased (respectively, 26.5% vs. 23.6%, 6.4% vs. 3.2%, 20.7% vs. 17.4%, and 44.4% vs. 37.2%, p≤0.050). In 2024, the prevalence of posts depicting nicotine products remained similar as in 2022 (p>0,050), posts depicting lifestyle factors related to food, alcohol, and physical activity, mental health factors, more often prevailed on Instagram (respectively, 33.1% vs. 28.1%, 11.1% vs. 4.9%, 20.8% vs. 12.8%, and 63.0% vs. 56.5%, p≤0.050), food-related factors were depicted more frequently by male influencers, lifestyle factors related to alcohol, physical activity, mental health risk factors, occured more frequently in females’ posts (respectively, 14.0% vs. 11.2%, 7.8% vs. 2.5%, 16.2% vs. 9.3%, and 51.7% vs. 39.3%, p≤0.050). Conclusions. In 2024, posts depicting factors related to food (1), alcohol use (2), and physical activity (3), as well as mental health risk factors (4), became more prevalent. Their prevalence increased on Instagram, food-related factors more often prevailed in posts by males, alcohol-, physical activity-, mental health-related factors more often prevailed in posts by females. |
