The presentation of gut microbiome-based personalized nutrition on the internet: simple and accessible, complex and inaccessible

Frontiers in Communication

Communication

Russell G. Davies¹  Katharine Lee²  Julie Barnett² 

[1] Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom;Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom;

关键词: gut microbiome;    personalized nutrition;    health communication;    internet;    health;    social representation theory;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fcomm.2023.974973

 received in 2022-06-21, accepted in 2023-04-13,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

The gut microbiome is related to health and wellbeing, although the precise nature of the relationship and the involvement of and interaction with other factors is not fully understood. In this context, private companies are providing gut microbiome-based personalized nutrition services on the internet. Framed by social representation theory, we conducted an analysis of the websites of 27 companies offering direct-to-consumer personalized nutrition based on the microbiome, to understand how they communicate to prospective consumers. We found that through imagery, metaphor, and personification, companies simultaneously position the gut microbiome, and gut microbiome-based personalized nutrition, as simple and accessible and complex and inaccessible. Highly medicalized content in the main web pages is negated in often peripheral disclaimer sections.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Lee, Davies and Barnett.

【 图 表 】

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