65 | How Health Influencers Spread Misinformation with Mallory DeMille

Why does being “informed” about health feel more stressful than ever right now? Probably because we’re bombarded with a barrage of conflicting information and you don’t need any qualifications to have a following online.

In this episode, we sit down with Mallory DeMille, a marketing professional and content creator who sits at the intersection of wellness, fitness, social media, and misinformation. Using her background in marketing, she calls out misleading health narratives online and helps people understand how algorithms, influence, and fear-based messaging shape what we believe about our health. We talk about fear-based marketing, parasocial relationships, why extreme content gets rewarded, and how education can quietly turn into health anxiety.

This episode is for anyone who feels overwhelmed by wellness content, unsure who to trust, or anxious about “doing health wrong.” If you want to stay informed without constantly feeling behind, this conversation we have with Mallory is perfect for you!

🎗️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
02:00 Who Is Mallory & Her Path Into Wellness
06:22 How The Wellness Industry Has Shifted
14:09 Why People Feel More Confused Than Ever
21:33 Algorithms, Attention & What Gets Rewarded in the Online Wellness Space
26:18 Trends People Miss (Parasite Cleanses & Parasocial Dynamics)
33:15 Fear Mongering As A Marketing Tool
37:17 Setting Boundaries With Wellness Content
41:52 How Much Health Content Is Too Much?
46:01 Two (2) Questions We Should Ask Before Believing Health Influencers 

📒 Resources Mentioned:
📃 Communication of nutrition information by influencers on social media: A scoping review

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🟡 How to: Fitness
Instagram: @howtofitnesspod

🟡 Michael Ulloa
Website: michaelulloa.com
Instagram: @michaelulloapt

🟡 Kate Lyman
Website: katelymannutrition.com
Instagram:  @klnutrition

Thank you for listening to the How to: Fitness Podcast with Michael Ulloa and Kate Lyman!