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Impact of Health Influencer Campaigns on Healthy Lifestyle Practices among University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Healthy lifestyle practices are important for preventing non-communicable diseases, improving physical and mental well-being, and promoting healthy living among young adults. University students are increasingly exposed to health-related content through social media platforms, where health influencers can shape perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours related to diet, physical activity, sleep, stress management, substance use, and other lifestyle choices. Health influencer campaigns may provide accessible and engaging health information and motivate students to adopt healthier behaviours. However, the quality and credibility of health information shared by influencers may vary, and exposure to misleading, commercial, or unrealistic health messages may limit the effectiveness of such campaigns. Against this background, this study investigates the impact of health influencer campaigns on healthy lifestyle practices among university students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on Social Cognitive Theory, Theory of Planned Behavior, and the Health Belief Model. Social Cognitive Theory explains how observational learning, social modelling, self-efficacy, reinforcement, and interaction with health influencers may influence students' lifestyle behaviours. The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how students' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and behavioural intentions may influence their adoption of healthy lifestyle practices. The Health Belief Model explains how perceptions of health risks, perceived severity of lifestyle-related diseases, perceived benefits of healthy behaviours, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence students' lifestyle decisions. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how health influencer campaigns may influence healthy lifestyle practices among university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative analytical cross-sectional or quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise undergraduate students aged 18 years and above enrolled in selected universities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, universities, faculties or departments, academic levels, and eligible students. Health influencer campaigns will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to health influencer content, frequency of exposure, duration of exposure, social media platforms used, type of health content, perceived credibility of influencers, message clarity, frequency of health-related posts, audience engagement, use of demonstrations, disclosure of commercial interests, and interaction with followers. Healthy lifestyle practices will be assessed using indicators such as dietary practices, consumption of fruits and vegetables, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep practices, stress-management practices, avoidance of tobacco and harmful substance use, responsible alcohol-related behaviour where applicable, and participation in preventive healthcare activities. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, validated lifestyle assessment tools where appropriate, social media campaign records, and relevant university health promotion documents. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' demographic characteristics, social media exposure, health influencer campaign exposure, and healthy lifestyle practices. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the impact of health influencer campaigns on healthy lifestyle practices. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, healthy lifestyle practice scores before and after exposure to structured health influencer campaigns may be compared, while relevant demographic, socioeconomic, academic, and behavioural factors are appropriately controlled. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that health influencer campaigns have a significant positive impact on healthy lifestyle practices among university students in Nigeria. Students who are regularly exposed to credible and evidence-based health influencer campaigns are expected to demonstrate greater adoption of healthy dietary practices, physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management, avoidance of harmful substances, and preventive health behaviours than students with limited exposure. Health influencers may serve as accessible sources of health information and behavioural models, helping students understand the benefits of healthy living and encouraging them to make healthier lifestyle choices. However, the effectiveness of influencer campaigns may be influenced by the credibility and qualifications of influencers, commercial interests, misinformation, unrealistic health expectations, peer influence, socioeconomic circumstances, availability of healthy food and recreational facilities, and students' ability to critically evaluate health information. The study therefore expects credible, culturally appropriate, engaging, and evidence-based health influencer campaigns to contribute significantly to improved healthy lifestyle practices among university students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on health influencer campaigns, social media health promotion, healthy lifestyle practices, university health, digital health communication, health behaviour, health education, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, universities, university health centres, public health practitioners, health communication organizations, social media health influencers, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for promoting healthy behaviours among young adults. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for developing credible health influencer partnerships, strengthening influencer training in evidence-based health communication, promoting transparent disclosure of commercial interests, improving digital health literacy among students, developing engaging health campaigns, addressing online health misinformation, and integrating social media health promotion into broader university health and non-communicable disease prevention programmes across Nigeria.

Keywords: Health influencer campaigns, healthy lifestyle practices, university students, social media, digital health communication, health promotion, healthy behaviours, health education, young adults, Nigeria, public health.