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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Frontiers in Public Health

Public-health risk expression and governance of low-threshold exercise and health content on Douyin short-video platforms: a case study of follow-along fitness short videos

  • Yigang Zhang1
  • Zhi Qu1
  • Xiaoyan Guo1
  • Yilin Zhao1
  1. 1Law School, Qufu Normal University
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Abstract

Introduction: Follow-along exercise and health short videos provide the public with convenient exercise references, yet their efficacy statements, applicability conditions, and risk information warrant attention.

Methods: Using a sample of 250 videos from Douyin, this study employed a diagnostic evaluative content analysis to examine efficacy claims, applicability boundaries, risk warnings, and professional justification. Intercoder reliability was assessed, and comparisons were conducted across content types.

Results: The proportions of videos meeting the severe expressive-problem criterion (score 3) were 36.8% for risk warnings, 34.4% for efficacy claims, and 25.6% for applicability boundaries, compared with 2.0% for professional justification. A total of 54.4% of the videos exhibited at least one score-3 problem, and 36.0% exhibited two or more. Content type was statistically associated with score-3 distributions for Dimensions B, C, and D (all Holm-adjusted p < 0.001), whereas Dimension E did not reach significance ( p = 0.369). Fat-loss and body-shaping videos were more likely to show efficacy-claim problems, while pain-relief and general rehabilitation videos were more likely to show problems with applicability boundaries and risk warnings.

Discussion: Governance of follow-along content should be tailored to specific contexts, improving efficacy statements, applicability conditions, risk warnings, and the articulation of professional justification.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{zhang2026publichealth,
  title = {{Public-health risk expression and governance of low-threshold exercise and health content on Douyin short-video platforms: a case study of follow-along fitness short videos}},
  author = {Yigang Zhang and Zhi Qu and Xiaoyan Guo and Yilin Zhao},
  journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1985289},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1985289/full},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Public-health risk expression and governance of low-threshold exercise and health content on Douyin short-video platforms: a case study of follow-along fitness short videos
AU  - Yigang Zhang
AU  - Zhi Qu
AU  - Xiaoyan Guo
AU  - Yilin Zhao
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/20
JO  - Frontiers in Public Health
DO  - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1985289
UR  - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1985289/full
AB  - Introduction: Follow-along exercise and health short videos provide the public with convenient exercise references, yet their efficacy statements, applicability conditions, and risk information warrant attention.  Methods: Using a sample of 250 videos from Douyin, this study employed a diagnostic evaluative content analysis to examine efficacy claims, applicability boundaries, risk warnings, and professional justification. Intercoder reliability was assessed, and comparisons were conducted across content types.  Results: The proportions of videos meeting the severe expressive-problem criterion (score 3) were 36.8% for risk warnings, 34.4% for efficacy claims, and 25.6% for applicability boundaries, compared with 2.0% for professional justification. A total of 54.4% of the videos exhibited at least one score-3 problem, and 36.0% exhibited two or more. Content type was statistically associated with score-3 distributions for Dimensions B, C, and D (all Holm-adjusted p < 0.001), whereas Dimension E did not reach significance ( p = 0.369). Fat-loss and body-shaping videos were more likely to show efficacy-claim problems, while pain-relief and general rehabilitation videos were more likely to show problems with applicability boundaries and risk warnings.  Discussion: Governance of follow-along content should be tailored to specific contexts, improving efficacy statements, applicability conditions, risk warnings, and the articulation of professional justification.
SN  - 2296-2565
ER  -