What doctors really think about fad diets and nutrition advice in 2025

Author(s):

Austin Littrell

Fact checked by:

Keith A. Reynolds

A global physician survey finds overwhelming concern about social media misinformation, poor nutrition training and the growing need for evidence-based dietary counseling.

From social media diets to unregulated supplements, physicians around the world say patients are inundated with nutritional misinformation — and that it's affecting care.

Sermo's 40th Barometer survey, conducted June 6 and 7, 2025, gathered responses from 1,041 global physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs). The data reveals deep concern about the health effects of trendy diets, the spread of unverified nutrition claims online and longstanding gaps in clinician training.

A full 90% of clinicians say they are concerned about the promotion of fad diets on social media. At the same time, just 32% say they received strong nutrition education in medical school, and most report that continuing education rarely includes dietary guidance. Meanwhile, food safety concerns — from microplastics to raw milk — remain top-of-mind for many clinicians navigating increasingly complex patient questions.