The Issue
Every month, 36 million people across the UK turn to the Daily Mail for news, and many for health and nutrition information. As one of the most-read news outlets in the country, the Daily Mail has enormous power to shape what people eat, how they manage their health, and what they believe about nutrition.

But there's a problem: increasingly, the Daily Mail is platforming unqualified social media influencers as health "experts" – people whose primary credentials are follower counts, not scientific training. These MisInfluencers may look authoritative on camera, but they often lack the medical degrees, dietetics qualifications, or peer-reviewed research to back up their claims.

This isn't just bad journalism. It's a public health risk.

When the Daily Mail gives credibility to unvetted health advice, the consequences can be severe:

• Readers may delay seeking proper medical treatment
• Misleading nutrition claims can worsen chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease
• Vulnerable people may adopt dangerous elimination diets
• Scientific consensus on issues from ultra-processed foods to supplements gets drowned out by sensationalism

A Case in Point: Dr. Eric Berg
The Daily Mail frequently cites Eric Berg as a health authority. But who is he really?

Berg holds a Doctor of Chiropractic degree – he is not a medical doctor, registered dietitian, or certified nutritionist. In 2008, he was formally reprimanded by regulators and fined $1,500 after investigators found he was promoting techniques "unsupported by reasonable scientific evidence." He was ordered to stop using several unproven methods.

His health claims have been repeatedly fact-checked by actual medical doctors and found wanting. PolitiFact rated his claims about sugar and cancer as "mostly false."

Yet with 43 million followers, Berg's reach is enormous – and when the Daily Mail presents him simply as "Dr Berg" giving health advice, readers reasonably assume he has medical credentials he does not possess.

This is exactly the kind of journalistic failure this petition aims to address.
   

Why This Matters
The evidence shows health misinformation spreads faster than facts. Here are the facts:

• NHS resources are strained – GPs report increased appointments from patients seeking to "fact-check" advice they've read online, including from major news outlets (1)
• Eating disorders are at record levels – Unqualified diet advice contributes to disordered eating patterns, particularly among young people (2)
• Trust in expertise is declining – When major media platforms treat influencers as equivalent to registered dietitians and medical doctors, the public loses the ability to distinguish credible health guidance from marketing (3)
• Real people are harmed – From carnivore diet promoters to raw milk advocates, unqualified voices are driving health decisions with potentially life-threatening consequences (4)

Our Specific Asks
We are calling on the Daily Mail to implement a Verified Expert Policy for all health and nutrition content.

Specifically, we demand:

• Qualified Sources Only – All health and nutrition articles must primarily cite experts with recognised credentials: Registered Dietitians (RDs), Registered Nutritionists (RNutr), medical doctors (GPs, consultants), or academics with relevant peer-reviewed research
• Transparent Credentials Disclosure – Every quoted source must have their qualifications clearly stated alongside their name (e.g., "Dr Jane Smith, Registered Dietitian" not just "health expert Jane Smith")
• Clear Labelling of Influencer Content – Any content featuring social media personalities without clinical qualifications must carry a visible disclaimer: "This individual is not a registered healthcare professional"
• Editorial Standards Review – Establish an independent review process for health content, similar to fact-checking protocols used for political reporting
• Public Accountability – Publish an annual transparency report on the credentials of health sources cited in Daily Mail articles

Sources:

1. Lu Q, Schulz PJ, Physician Perspectives on Internet-Informed Patients: Systematic Review, J Med Internet Res 2024;26:e47620, doi: 10.2196/47620
2. NHS England (March 2022). NHS treating record number of young people for eating disorders
3. Foodfacts.org & Rooted Research Collective (May 2025). Nutrition misinformation in the digital age
4. Foodfacts.org & Rooted Research Collective (May 2025). Nutrition misinformation in the digital age