Predatory wellness marketing
by Elizabeth Magee, LRD
The wellness industry is the fastest-growing industry right now, yet somehow, we are still less healthy than we were 30 years ago. How? It’s everywhere you look: a new fitness club on every other corner, new research on supplements, new supplements based on that research. It’s enough to make someone panic about what to do and what’s true. And social media throws a huge curveball into all this with pop-ups, ads, influencers, and weird marketing tactics that scare us into thinking we need something. It’s a lot to digest.
It can leave you feeling vulnerable. You might bring it up to a provider you see, and they don’t know what you’re talking about, but you were convinced that something was necessary after falling down a rabbit hole from just one quick video on Instagram.
How do we know what’s true and what’s just a scheme for someone to make money? And how are these actually successful?
Predatory marketing succeeds because it targets people who genuinely want to feel better. So many of us are dealing with chronic pain, stress, burnout, weight challenges, perimenopause, or mental health concerns. We want to feel better, and we want instant gratification. So many of these seem to tell us we’ll get quick results – so we bite. We think we have nothing to lose (probably money, but you’ve convinced yourself it’s worth it, it’ll work!
Our phones are paying attention, of course. I know those things are listening. And, based on previous searches, views, likes, etc., they are popping up CONSTANTLY. We start to trust them. Maybe out of desperation, who knows.
How can we figure out if any of these are legit?
Here are some tips:
- Look for credible scientific evidence rather than Charlene’s success story.
- Are the claims supported by peer-reviewed research?
- Be cautious of products that promise extraordinary outcomes – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
- Do your homework. Look at independent customer reviews.
- Check the ingredients, what are the claims for those ingredients.
If it feels like they are using fear and insecurity as a marketing strategy, that’s a red flag.
Remember the basics. Wellness is built on habits we can instill every day. The right foods, daily exercise/movement, and taking care of our mental health. There's no magic around any of it, and if you aren’t doing those things alone, a supplement likely won’t change your life, but can certainly add positive benefits at times. Just be a smart consumer!
Elizabeth Magee is a licensed registered dietitian. Her posts appear monthly on OYT.
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