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Background <p>Bias is recognized to inhibit a holistic model of healthcare. Yet, little has been investigated into how bias in the educational process influences the development or reinforcement of bias in healthcare professionals.</p> Methods <p>344 (152&#xa0;M/172 F/20 other) students (52.4%) and professors (47.6%), 46% &lt; 30&#xa0;years old and 21.4% between 40 and 55&#xa0;years old, completed an electronic survey regarding ideals of diet, exercise, health, body weight, and how one obtains information for developing or modeling healthy behaviors.</p> Results <p>Across all respondents, social media (e.g., TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest) appears to be the most cited source for information on lifestyle interventions. Even with awareness of health issues based on social pressures to be thin, the “thinnest” female body image was seen as the healthiest. Higher confirmation bias was expressed by older respondents regarding advice that might be offered to combat perceived weight issues.</p> Conclusion <p>The observed response patterns are consistent with the possibility that educational and social environments may interact to reinforce preexisting attitudes. Moreover, even in a population that should be more reliant on empirical evidence, there is a reliance on personal anecdotes and information from social media for determining what might be appropriate pro-health lifestyle choices.</p>

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Biases toward weight, diet, and exercise expressed by health science students and their professors

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月23日

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  • James E. Clark,
  • Martha F. Wiszniak,
  • Ricci Bicomong,
  • Makayla Sousa,
  • Dalton Jolivette,
  • Emily Sirois

摘要

Background

Bias is recognized to inhibit a holistic model of healthcare. Yet, little has been investigated into how bias in the educational process influences the development or reinforcement of bias in healthcare professionals.

Methods

344 (152 M/172 F/20 other) students (52.4%) and professors (47.6%), 46% < 30 years old and 21.4% between 40 and 55 years old, completed an electronic survey regarding ideals of diet, exercise, health, body weight, and how one obtains information for developing or modeling healthy behaviors.

Results

Across all respondents, social media (e.g., TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest) appears to be the most cited source for information on lifestyle interventions. Even with awareness of health issues based on social pressures to be thin, the “thinnest” female body image was seen as the healthiest. Higher confirmation bias was expressed by older respondents regarding advice that might be offered to combat perceived weight issues.

Conclusion

The observed response patterns are consistent with the possibility that educational and social environments may interact to reinforce preexisting attitudes. Moreover, even in a population that should be more reliant on empirical evidence, there is a reliance on personal anecdotes and information from social media for determining what might be appropriate pro-health lifestyle choices.