The ScienceFlows team researcher defended her doctoral project on scientific communication in food with an excellent grade on 29 January

After four years on an FPU (University Teaching Staff Training) contract and continuous learning in both teaching and research, Paula von Polheim obtained her PhD with international recognition and an excellent grade on 29 February. The doctor is part of the ScienceFlows group, led by Professor of Journalism Carolina Moreno, who was also her thesis supervisor.

The line of research underpinning the project is scientific communication on food, health and well-being issues with a focus on nutrition. Her work offers a comprehensive view from the perspective of information sciences, analysing how discourses on food are constructed and circulated in the media, social networks and among consumers themselves. The four main studies that make up her thesis are not presented as isolated pieces, but as a progressive journey that allows us to understand how nutritional information is generated, disseminated and finally interpreted in today's media ecosystem.

The doctoral work is structured as a compendium of interrelated research projects that provide an understanding of the complete journey of nutritional information, from its generation to its social interpretation. The first study analyses how Ibero-American digital media outlets have reported on so-called superfoods between the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and 2022. Based on an analysis of 64 news items published in 34 media outlets, significant shortcomings in scientific rigour were detected: much of the information was based on general statements, anecdotal evidence or expert opinions without clear support from verifiable research. During the pandemic, these products were often presented as capable of strengthening the immune system or preventing disease, which contributed to their increased popularity. However, the term ‘superfood’ was used broadly and inconsistently, applied to a wide variety of products without solid scientific criteria to justify such classification.

Subsequent research extended the analysis to Instagram, studying 98 nutrition influencers in five European countries (Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy) and finding remarkable uniformity in the messages, which combine local culinary traditions with visually appealing globalised trends. A strong presence of commercial content integrated into wellness discourse was also observed. An additional study focusing on 24 Spanish influencers revealed that only 4% had university training in nutrition, raising doubts about the reliability of much of the advice disseminated; qualified profiles tend to be based on official guidelines, while non-specialised ones promote restrictive diets or detox messages. Finally, the thesis incorporates the audience's perspective through a survey of university students, the results of which indicate that personal interest in food encourages the verification of nutritional information, while less involvement leads to accepting content with less critical thinking.

Overall, the doctoral thesis offers a comprehensive diagnosis of the challenges currently facing nutritional communication. The results highlight the persistence of information gaps in both traditional media and digital platforms, as well as the central role that influencers play in constructing social imaginaries about food. In addition, the research underscores the growing integration of advertising content into narratives about health and well-being, a trend that poses significant ethical and regulatory challenges.

Reference: Von-Polheim, P. (2025). Critical study of food communication in digital environments: media, influencers and fact-checkers [Doctoral thesis, University of Valencia]. Roderic. Retrieved from: https://hdl.handle.net/10550/123033.

• 
•