{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,7]],"date-time":"2026-09-07T23:55:46Z","timestamp":1788825346128,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]],"date-time":"2026-02-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769990400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    This study investigates how false fitness and supplement claims shape judgment and behavioral intention through cue-based interface features and considers the implications for public health. In a randomized online experiment (\n                    <jats:italic>N<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u202f=\u202f630), participants viewed simulated social-media advertisements that manipulated authority endorsement, scarcity framing, and conformity cues in a 2\u202f\u00d7\u202f2\u202f\u00d7\u202f2 design, along with a truthful control condition. Heuristic trust (M\u202f=\u202f4.50, SD\u202f=\u202f0.60) and perceived credibility (M\u202f=\u202f6.54, SD\u202f=\u202f0.44) were generally high and were closely linked to lower risk perception (M\u202f=\u202f1.79, SD\u202f=\u202f0.39) and stronger purchase intention (M\u202f=\u202f5.02, SD\u202f=\u202f0.68). Structural modeling showed that risk perception exerted a substantial negative association with intention, and the indirect pathway from heuristic trust to intention through risk perception was statistically reliable (indirect effect\u202f=\u202f0.279, 95% CI [0.230, 0.329]). Regarding conditional effects, health literacy showed a consistent pattern in which higher literacy was associated with a stronger negative slope of risk perception on intention, although the interaction term was not statistically significant in the moderation model. Across conditions, persuasive impact was driven largely by interface cues and social validation signals rather than by the credibility of evidentiary content. These findings suggest that if persuasive cue structures remain unregulated in online health-related advertising, repeated exposure may gradually normalize low perceived risk and heighten purchase intention, posing longer-term challenges for consumer protection and public-health governance.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1718168","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]],"date-time":"2026-02-02T16:13:21Z","timestamp":1770048801000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Psychological manipulation mechanisms of false fitness and supplement information and public health risks: from information manipulation to behavioral decision-making"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Tianle","family":"Huang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Theater, Film and Television, Communication University of China","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xinchen","family":"Leng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Northeastern University","place":["Seattle, WA, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jiawei","family":"Guo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sociology, Beijing Normal University","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yue","family":"Guo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School for Marxism Studies, Shanxi University","place":["Taiyuan, Shanxi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yiying","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Journalism and Communication, Southwest University","place":["Chongqing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"677","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2011-090102","article-title":"A to Z of nutritional supplements: dietary supplements, sports nutrition foods, and ergogenic aids for health and performance\u2014part 21","volume":"45","author":"Goodman","year":"2011","journal-title":"Br J Sports Med"},{"key":"ref2","first-page":"337","article-title":"Supplement use by young athletes","volume":"6","author":"McDowall","year":"2007","journal-title":"J Sports Sci Med"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1519\/00126548-200212000-00003","article-title":"Dietary supplements: consumers\u2019 views","volume":"24","author":"Grandjean","year":"2002","journal-title":"Strength Cond J"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.2174\/1872213X10666160923163700","article-title":"Synthetic and natural nutritional supplements: health \"allies\" or risks to public health?","volume":"10","author":"Kioukia-Fougia","year":"2016","journal-title":"Recent Patents Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3696","DOI":"10.1177\/14614448221141648","article-title":"Visual disinformation in a digital age: a literature synthesis and research agenda","volume":"25","author":"Weikmann","year":"2022","journal-title":"New Media Soc"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e17187","DOI":"10.2196\/17187","article-title":"Prevalence of health misinformation on social media: systematic review","volume":"23","author":"Suarez-Lledo","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"539","DOI":"10.1108\/JCOM-09-2022-0113","article-title":"AI-driven disinformation: a framework for organizational preparation and response","volume":"27","author":"Karinshak","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Commun Manag"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11914","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph182211914","article-title":"Is social media spreading misinformation on exercise and health in Brazil?","volume":"18","author":"Marocolo","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3511","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-21095-3","article-title":"Helpful or harmful? Navigating the impact of social media influencers' health advice: insights from health expert content creators","volume":"24","author":"Ka\u0148kov\u00e1","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"491","DOI":"10.1027\/1016-9040\/a000494","article-title":"The psychological impacts and message features of health misinformation: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials","volume":"42","author":"Schmid","year":"2023","journal-title":"Health Psychol"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100168","DOI":"10.1016\/j.glmedi.2024.100168","article-title":"Diet fads and supplements: navigating the allure, risks, and reality","volume":"4","author":"Khubchandani","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Med Surg Public Health"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"429","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-9280.2007.01917.x","article-title":"The constructive, destructive, and reconstructive power of social norms","volume":"18","author":"Schultz","year":"2007","journal-title":"Psychol Sci"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"563","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2013.03.023","article-title":"Social manipulation of preference in the human brain","volume":"78","author":"Izuma","year":"2013","journal-title":"Neuron"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1007\/s10935-008-0127-y","article-title":"Theory of planned behavior and multivitamin supplement use in Caucasian college females","volume":"29","author":"Pawlak","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Prim Prev"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/109019818401100101","article-title":"The health belief model: a decade later","volume":"11","author":"Janz","year":"1984","journal-title":"Health Educ Q"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.1080\/03637750500111815","article-title":"On the nature of reactance and its role in persuasive health communication","volume":"72","author":"Dillard","year":"2005","journal-title":"Commun Monogr"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1145\/764008.763957","article-title":"Persuasive technology: using computers to change what we think and do","volume":"2002","author":"Fogg","year":"2002","journal-title":"Ubiquity"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"455","DOI":"10.1037\/0033-2909.111.3.455","article-title":"Changing AIDS-risk behavior","volume":"111","author":"Fisher","year":"1992","journal-title":"Psychol Bull"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"i","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-277X.2001.00283.x","article-title":"From the editor","volume":"14","author":"Mart\u00ednez-Gonz\u00e1lez","year":"2001","journal-title":"J Hum Nutr Diet"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"612-P","DOI":"10.2337\/db23-612-p","article-title":"The effectiveness of lifestyle, metformin, or dietary supplements for the prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by participant characteristics\u2014a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"72","author":"Lim","year":"2023","journal-title":"Diabetes"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1649120","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1649120","article-title":"Dialogue pathways and narrative analysis in health communication within the social media environment: an empirical study based on user behavior \u2014 a case study of China","volume":"13","author":"Wang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3247","DOI":"10.3390\/nu16193247","article-title":"The top 5 can\u2019t-miss sport supplements","volume":"16","author":"Antonio","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1716","DOI":"10.1111\/jan.14684","article-title":"The effect of oral nutritional supplement on muscle fitness of patients undergoing dialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"77","author":"Lu","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Adv Nurs"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5029","DOI":"10.3390\/nu15245029","article-title":"Addressing patient requests to add dietary supplements to their cancer care\u2014a suggested approach","volume":"15","author":"Frenkel","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"949","DOI":"10.1002\/ptr.7585","article-title":"The effects of Gymnema Sylvestre supplementation on lipid profile, glycemic control, blood pressure, and anthropometric indices in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"37","author":"Zamani","year":"2022","journal-title":"Phytother Res"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1505","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biotechadv.2018.06.008","article-title":"Supplementing glycosylation: a review of applying nucleotide-sugar precursors to growth medium to affect therapeutic recombinant protein glycoform distributions","volume":"36","author":"Blondeel","year":"2018","journal-title":"Biotechnol Adv"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1530\/REP-20-0351","article-title":"Does supplementation with mitochondria improve oocyte competence? A systematic review","volume":"161","author":"Ferreira","year":"2020","journal-title":"Reproduction"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"67","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-023-01933-x","article-title":"A behaviourally informed approach to reducing the risk of inadvertent anti-doping rule violations from supplement use","volume":"53","author":"Backhouse","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sports Med (Auckland, NZ)"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"685","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.clpt.6100100","article-title":"Prenatal multivitamin supplementation and rates of pediatric cancers: a meta-analysis","volume":"81","author":"Goh","year":"2007","journal-title":"Clin Pharmacol Therapeutics"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"87","DOI":"10.4278\/0890-1171-11.2.87","article-title":"The theory of planned behavior: a review of its applications to health-related behaviors","volume":"11","author":"Godin","year":"1996","journal-title":"Am J Health Promot"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1716","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-16568-w","article-title":"The theory of planned behavior and dietary behaviors in competitive women bodybuilders","volume":"23","author":"Haubenstricker","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105017","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jff.2022.105017","article-title":"Assessing the influence of information on the intention to use dietary supplements: an online questionnaire study","volume":"92","author":"Lenssen","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Funct Foods"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5629","DOI":"10.1007\/s00210-024-03616-4","article-title":"Disinformation on dietary supplements by German influencers on Instagram","volume":"398","author":"Ricke","year":"2025","journal-title":"Naunyn Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"891","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph22060891","article-title":"Relationships between misinformation variables and nutritional health strategies: a scoping review","volume":"22","author":"Caballero","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"329","DOI":"10.1086\/715784","article-title":"A triple-system neural model of maladaptive consumption","volume":"6","author":"Turel","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Assoc Consum Res"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.17705\/1CAIS.02701","article-title":"Persuasive systems design: key issues, process model, and system features","volume":"27","author":"Oinas-Kukkonen","year":"2010","journal-title":"Commun Assoc Inf Syst"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3202","DOI":"10.1017\/S1368980023002525","article-title":"Application of the theory of planned behaviour to inform development of a dissemination and implementation science training for nutrition practitioners","volume":"26","author":"Walker","year":"2023","journal-title":"Public Health Nutr"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101185","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ehb.2022.101185","article-title":"Sweet or not: using information and cognitive dissonance to nudge children toward healthier food choices","volume":"47","author":"Nguyen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Econ Hum Biol"},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.1037\/0033-2909.127.1.142","article-title":"Theories of reasoned action and planned behavior as models of condom use: a meta-analysis","volume":"127","author":"Albarrac\u00edn","year":"2001","journal-title":"Psychol Bull"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"daaf023","DOI":"10.1093\/heapro\/daaf023","article-title":"Social media and the spread of misinformation: infectious and a threat to public health","volume":"40","author":"Denniss","year":"2025","journal-title":"Health Promot Int"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"0300","DOI":"10.12968\/bjon.2025.0300","article-title":"The impact of nutrition misinformation on public health and dietary supplement consumption","volume":"34","author":"Denniss","year":"2025","journal-title":"Br J Nurs"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102634","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsx.2022.102634","article-title":"The efficacy of vitamin B12 supplementation for treating vitamin B12 deficiency and peripheral neuropathy in metformin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a systematic review","volume":"16","author":"Pratama","year":"2022","journal-title":"Diabetes Metab Syndr"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.1111\/prd.12324","article-title":"Probiotics, including nisin-based probiotics, improve clinical and microbial outcomes relevant to oral and systemic diseases","volume":"82","author":"Nguyen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Periodontol"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"pgae517","DOI":"10.1093\/pnasnexus\/pgae517","article-title":"Food choice mimicry on a large university campus","volume":"3","author":"Gligori\u0107","year":"2024","journal-title":"PNAS Nexus"},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e67640","DOI":"10.2196\/e67640","article-title":"Preferences, perceptions, and use of online nutrition information among adults in social media environments","volume":"27","author":"Lam","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6S121","DOI":"10.1016\/S1262-3636(03)72797-9","article-title":"Metformin: drug of choice for the prevention of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications in high-risk subjects","volume":"29","author":"Standl","year":"2003","journal-title":"Diabetes Metab"},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"495","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopha.2018.08.021","article-title":"Inhalational supplementation of metformin butyrate: a strategy for prevention and cure of various pulmonary disorders","volume":"107","author":"Maniar","year":"2018","journal-title":"Biomed Pharmacother"},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"eabo6254","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.abo6254","article-title":"Psychological inoculation improves resilience against misinformation on social media","volume":"8","author":"Roozenbeek","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci Adv"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1718168\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,24]],"date-time":"2026-02-24T09:29:41Z","timestamp":1771925381000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1718168\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]]},"references-count":48,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1718168"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1718168","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]]},"article-number":"1718168"}}