Abstract
Introduction: Social media has become a primary source of nutrition information for college students, yet the prevalence of misinformation on these platforms poses a significant public health concern. Exposure to scientifically unsupported dietary advice during a critical period of habit formation may shape long-term health behaviors. Despite growing concern, little research has examined how nutrition misinformation influences dietary intentions among college students using a behavioral theory framework. Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine how college students evaluate nutrition information on social media and how their attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control shape their intentions to follow that information. Methods: This study employed a single-session experimental survey design grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Participants were recruited from an introductory nutrition course at Sacramento State University. Participants viewed three curated social media videos containing nutrition misinformation and completed an immediate Qualtrics assessment that measured perceived video credibility, TPB constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control), behavioral intentions, and information-processing strategies. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine predictors of dietary intentions. Results: Together, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control explained 51.8% of the variance in dietary intentions. Attitudes were the strongest predictor, and students who viewed social media nutrition advice as wise and beneficial were more likely to intend to follow it. Peer behavior also played a role, with descriptive norms significantly predicting intentions. Perceived behavioral control did not. Notably, all three videos were rated below the credibility midpoint, yet 82% of participants were still willing to try at least one recommendation, which suggests that low credibility does not necessarily prevent behavior change. Nutrition courses should include education on building resistance to misinformation and closing the gap between how students evaluate content and how they respond to it. Credentialed nutrition professionals should also increase their presence on social media to provide evidence-based alternatives. Conclusion: These findings show that nutrition misinformation can shape dietary intentions even when students are skeptical of the content. This research adds to the growing body of literature on health misinformation and supports the development of media literacy and nutrition education programs for college students.