User-Generated Health Information on TikTok: Engagement, Risk Disclosure, and Consumer Implications of GLP-1 Weight Loss Content

Social media platforms play a central role in contemporary health communication, shaping how consumers perceive health, risk, and medical treatments. In the context of the growing pursuit of rapid weight loss, TikTok has emerged as a prominent space for user-generated content about glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. This study aimed to characterize the content, engagement patterns, and risk communication features of TikTok videos addressing GLP-1 medications for weight loss. A content analysis was conducted on 111 highly engaged TikTok videos in Brazilian Portuguese related to semaglutide and tirzepatide, posted between October 2023 and April 2024. Videos were evaluated according to engagement metrics and communication characteristics, including demonstrations of use, references to risks and adverse reactions, purchasing information, advertising elements, and Humor/Dance/Music content. Semaglutide-related videos generated substantially higher engagement, totaling over 53 million views. Most content was produced by nonprofessional users, and only 8.11% of videos mentioned potential risks or adverse drug reactions. When risks were addressed, they were primarily framed through personal experience rather than evidence-based information. The marked imbalance between audience engagement and risk disclosure raises concerns about the quality and completeness of medication-related information available to consumers on social media. These findings underscore the need to strengthen digital health literacy and support informed consumer decision-making in online environments increasingly used as sources of health information.