Freelance dietitian and TikTok creator Kate Hilton shares her thoughts on being selected for TikTok’s Clinician Creator Network, an initiative designed to amplify reliable health content in the UK.
Picture this: It was a usual day in the office last year for me, one where I was juggling my clinical work, social media work and my admin (as you must as a freelancer!) In the midst of the multitasking, I heard a “ping!” Another email. What’s new? I get about 100 of those a day. Except the content of this email was something rather more exciting than I am used to…
My name is Kate, and I am a dietetic content creator on the social media platform, TikTok. You may remember me from the Dietitians' Guide to TikTok guidance and webinar, which was published last year in collaboration with the BDA to encourage other dietitians to get onto the platform.
@dietsdebunked
At the point of receiving the email, I had been a content creator on TikTok for about three years, starting my journey in December 2021. As an avid user of social media myself during the pandemic, I was acutely aware of the poor quality of information surrounding nutrition that appeared to be prevalent across all social media sites, and I wanted to do something about it. I started my channel on TikTok to provide an evidence-based, scientifically backed nutrition information platform to help combat the hordes of misinformation that seemed pervasive on the platform.
Don’t get me wrong, it was scary, and I was nervous - at the time, very few HCPC dietitians were on TikTok, and I wasn’t sure how kindly the HCPC would take to a dietitian on the platform. Equally, I had never been a public figure on social media. I didn’t know how the public would perceive me, whether I would be liked or if my TikTok would even be successful. However, I knew there was a need - for every video and post I saw which was accurate, I saw another six, eight or ten that were full of misinformation and nutritional scaremongering, leading the public down the path of guilt, shame and nutritional superiority.
The first few months of being on TikTok were really rewarding. I grew a following quickly, and people seemed really receptive to accurate and evidence-based nutrition information online. Don’t get me wrong, I received a lot of criticism. Those who were watching who had already fallen down the nutritional misinformation rabbit hole and were convinced I was a paid employee of big pharma. But, I persisted, and three years down the line I had amassed over seven million views.
I still didn’t feel like an ultra-successful social media personality, however. I had 34,000 followers (which was a substantial amount, don’t get me wrong), but still nowhere near the amount that people who spout a load of nonsense get. This is perhaps one of the most frustrating things about being an evidence-based content creator. No matter how hard you try, it seems there is always a grifter who does better and spreads their message further.
So, to pick up that email was truly wonderful. It was from TikTok Headquarters, inviting me to be a part of a new and innovative scheme, the Clinician Creator Network. I felt as though I had been recognised for the work I had done to help combat misinformation online.
The network aims to meet a few times per year, and whilst doing so, identify and address the concerns that medical professional content creators have surrounding misinformation on TikTok, and find solutions to address these. We also had the platform to suggest ways to combat misinformation, as well as to be a part of health awareness campaigns with the NHS and other health bodies to ensure the correct information is getting out and combat the dangerous health advice which is so often seen on these platforms.
There are currently 15 members of the Clinician Creator Network, ranging from doctors of varying specialities, alongside a psychologist and of course, a dietitian (yours truly!)
The Clinician Creator Network has been a fantastic opportunity for me to have my voice as a dietitian on TikTok heard, and to do some real work to identify areas of concern and bring them to the forefront of the minds of the people who matter. It has also been a great opportunity for me to network myself. Since our first meeting in October, I have collaborated with three of my fellow clinician creators, doing collaborative nutrition and medicine livestreams.
I have really welcomed the opportunity to be a part of such an innovative scheme, and feel incredibly grateful that I can be a representation for dietitians’ voices on such a large platform. Due to the size of our profession, we are often overlooked. Thankfully, TikTok is doing their part to give us a voice and make us heard.
