Researchers studied 257 older adults with type 2 diabetes to understand how social media affects their ability to manage their disease. They found that spending more than 2 hours and 20 minutes daily on social media apps was linked to worse diabetes self-care. However, the good news is that watching helpful, accurate health content on social media actually improved diabetes management—even for people who spent a lot of time on these apps. This suggests that what you watch matters just as much as how long you watch it.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether the amount of time older adults spend on social media and the type of health content they see affects how well they manage their diabetes
  • Who participated: 257 older adults (average age 69) with type 2 diabetes who use short-form video apps like TikTok or Instagram Reels, recruited from community health centers
  • Key finding: Spending more than about 140 minutes (2 hours 20 minutes) per day on social media was linked to worse diabetes self-management. But people who saw good, accurate health information had better diabetes control, even if they spent lots of time on social media.
  • What it means for you: If you have diabetes, try to limit social media to under 2.5 hours daily, but focus on following accounts that share accurate health information. This may help you better manage your blood sugar and diet. However, this is one study, so talk to your doctor before making big changes.

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional study, which means researchers looked at a group of people at one point in time rather than following them over months or years. They recruited 257 older adults with type 2 diabetes from community health centers who regularly use short-form video apps (like TikTok or Instagram Reels). Participants answered questions about how much time they spent on these apps and what kind of content they watched. Researchers then sorted the health content into four categories: irrelevant (not about health), harmful (bad advice), somewhat helpful (basic information), and very helpful (accurate, detailed health information). Finally, they measured how well each person was managing their diabetes using a validated questionnaire that asks about diet, exercise, blood sugar testing, and medication use.

This research approach is important because it captures real-world behavior—how older adults actually use social media and what they actually watch. Rather than testing one specific video or app, the researchers looked at the full picture of social media use and its connection to diabetes management. This helps us understand whether social media is helping or hurting people’s health in everyday life.

This study has some strengths: it used a validated questionnaire to measure diabetes self-management, included a reasonable sample size (257 people), and carefully categorized the types of health content people saw. However, because it’s a snapshot in time rather than following people over months, we can’t be certain that social media caused the changes in diabetes management—there could be other factors involved. The study also only included people who already use social media apps, so results may not apply to older adults who don’t use these platforms.

What the Results Show

The researchers found an interesting pattern: as people spent more time on social media, their diabetes self-management got better—but only up to a point. Once people exceeded about 140 minutes (2 hours 20 minutes) per day, their self-management scores started to decline. This created an L-shaped curve, meaning there’s a sweet spot for social media use.

The most striking finding was about content quality. People who were exposed to highly accurate, helpful health information had significantly better overall diabetes management scores compared to those who saw irrelevant, harmful, or only somewhat helpful content. This positive effect was even stronger for people who spent more than 140 minutes daily on social media—suggesting that good content can counteract some of the negative effects of excessive screen time.

When researchers looked at specific diabetes management tasks, they found that exposure to high-quality health content was linked to better eating habits and more frequent blood sugar testing. These are two critical parts of managing type 2 diabetes effectively.

The study found that 61% of participants were exposed to high-quality, helpful health content, which is encouraging. The median time spent on social media was 120 minutes (2 hours) per day, and the average diabetes self-management score was 35.7 out of a possible higher score. The study also showed that the negative effects of excessive social media use could be partially offset by consuming quality health information, suggesting that curation of content is important.

This research adds important nuance to what we know about social media and health. Previous studies have shown that social media can spread both helpful and harmful health information, but this is one of the first studies to specifically examine how this affects diabetes management in older adults. The finding that content quality matters more than time spent aligns with research showing that health information quality is crucial for behavior change, but it contradicts the simple idea that ‘more social media is always bad for health.’

This study has several important limitations. First, it’s a snapshot—researchers measured everything at one point in time, so they can’t prove that social media caused the changes in diabetes management. People with better diabetes control might naturally seek out better health information, rather than the good information causing better control. Second, the study only included older adults who already use short-form video apps, so results may not apply to those who don’t use social media. Third, the study relied on people self-reporting how much time they spent on social media, which can be inaccurate. Finally, the study was conducted in community health centers, so results may not apply to all older adults with diabetes.

The Bottom Line

If you have type 2 diabetes and use social media: (1) Try to limit daily use to under 2.5 hours, as this appears to be associated with better diabetes management (moderate confidence). (2) Actively seek out and follow accounts that share accurate, detailed health information about diabetes, diet, and exercise (moderate confidence). (3) Be skeptical of health claims that seem too good to be true or come from non-medical sources (high confidence). (4) Use social media as a supplement to, not a replacement for, advice from your doctor or diabetes educator (high confidence).

This research is most relevant to older adults (65+) with type 2 diabetes who use social media apps. It may also interest family members, caregivers, and healthcare providers who work with older adults. Healthcare providers might use these findings to recommend specific health accounts or to discuss healthy social media habits with patients. People with type 1 diabetes or other chronic conditions might find some of these principles helpful, but this study specifically focused on type 2 diabetes in older adults.

If you make changes based on this research, you might notice improvements in your diabetes management within a few weeks to a few months. Better eating habits and more consistent blood sugar testing could lead to more stable blood sugar levels within 4-8 weeks. However, this is one study, and individual results vary. It’s important to work with your healthcare team and track your own progress.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily social media use in minutes and rate the quality of health content you consumed (helpful, somewhat helpful, or not helpful). Also log your diabetes self-care activities: meals eaten, blood sugar tests performed, and exercise completed. This creates a personal record to see if reducing screen time or improving content quality affects your diabetes management.
  • Use the app to set a daily social media limit (aim for under 140 minutes) and create a list of 5-10 trusted health accounts to follow. When you open a social media app, check your list first before browsing randomly. The app could send reminders when you’re approaching your daily limit and suggest one helpful health account to follow each week.
  • Over 8-12 weeks, track the relationship between your social media habits and diabetes management metrics. Monitor: (1) daily minutes on social media, (2) percentage of time spent on quality health content, (3) number of blood sugar tests per week, (4) diet quality scores, and (5) overall diabetes self-management score. Review this data monthly with your healthcare provider to see if adjustments help your diabetes control.

This research suggests an association between social media use and diabetes self-management, but does not prove cause and effect. This study was conducted at one point in time with a specific group of older adults, so results may not apply to everyone. Social media should never replace medical advice from your doctor or diabetes care team. Before making changes to your diabetes management routine or social media habits based on this research, consult with your healthcare provider. If you have type 2 diabetes, work with your doctor or a certified diabetes educator to develop a personalized management plan. This information is for educational purposes only and should not be used as medical advice.