Are They Really an Expert? Identifying the Appeal to Authority Fallacy

Reading articles and engaging with social media posts on platforms like X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube has become a common way to learn new information and stay informed. One of the biggest advantages of this is the accessibility—most content is free and readily available. Additionally, social media gives a platform to many voices that might not have been heard in traditional media.

However, this open access also means that anyone can publish content, regardless of their expertise. This creates challenges for consumers trying to separate high-quality information from misinformation. With so much content available, how can you assess the credibility of what you read?

In the following post, we’ll explore a verry common logical fallaciy in fitness and nutrition content, whether in legacy media (such as news outlets) or on social media platforms. This article focuses on the Appeal to Authority fallacy.

What Is the Appeal to Authority Fallacy?

The Appeal to Authority fallacy occurs when someone argues that a claim is true simply because an authority figure (qualified or not) supports it. This can happen in multiple ways:

1. Experts speaking outside their field – A person with a doctorate may use their credentials to speak on a topic outside their area of expertise. For instance, a medical doctor specializing in cardiology may make authoritative statements about nutrition, despite lacking formal education in that specific field. They likely have useful general information on nutrition but not to the same level as a nutritionist. The same is generally true of personal trainers, they are excellent with exercise and they probably have some useful insights on basic nutrition but many lack the formal training to really do a truly informed deep dive on nutrition.
2. Unqualified individuals presenting themselves as experts – A fitness influencer with a great physique may claim expertise in training and nutrition based solely on personal experience, or a handful of cases they've observed, rather than formal education or certifications. They likely have useful insights to exercise and they may be motivating to follow but we should be cautious about taking anything too definitive from their limited scope of experience.
3. Echo chambers - While not a perfect example of the fallacy, forming echo chambers is very common online on social media in communities led by those appealing to their authority on a subject. It's not uncommon for fitness influencers to have a robust and sometimes cult-like following and this can lead to people placing them and their philosophies on a pedestal and even verbally attacking those who disagree. Essentially anyone part of the echo chamber parrots the training and nutrition philosophies without really the claims themselves. This leads to a lot of division online and can make it difficult for beginners to know who they should or shouldn't listen to. Ultimately, you probably shouldn't take anything on social media too seriously anyway but for beginners it can be really easy to fall into an echo chamber.

Why This Fallacy Is Misleading

To summarize: just because someone holds an advanced degree in a health-related field doesn’t automatically make them an expert in all health topics. While they may have a higher baseline understanding than the average person, their knowledge may still be incomplete or inaccurate outside their specialization. Ideally, they should yield to those who have the credentials to speak authoritatively on a given subject who may have a better understanding of the nuances.

Similarly, personal success in fitness doesn’t necessarily translate into expertise that allows them to effectively give fitness advice to everyone. A person may have achieved their aesthetic goals through methods that work for them but lack the broader knowledge to design effective programs for others that may need modfications for difficulty or previous injuries.

This doesn’t mean these individuals in either example have nothing valuable to share—many provide useful insights. However, the take away for casual gym goers or those looking to clean up their diet and lifestyle is to evaluate claims based on reliable evidence, not just someone's potentially out-of-context credentials or personal achievements.

How to Evaluate Information for Yourself

If you come across an article or social media post where the author relies on their perceived authority rather than supporting evidence, does that mean the information is incorrect? Not necessarily, but it does mean you should take a few extra steps to verify their claims (which you should do with every source regardless of credentials or expertise). Here’s how:

1. Check the author’s credentials – Are they trained in the specific area they’re discussing?
2. Look for supporting evidence – Do they cite credible sources such as peer-reviewed studies or expert consensus?
3. Cross-reference with reliable sources – Compare their claims with information from respected institutions, such as universities, government health organizations, or reputable scientific journals. This is a major advantage of the internet, it makes it much easier to cross-reference information.
4. Educate yourself – Consider taking an introductory nutrition or fitness course to build foundational knowledge. Many community colleges offer affordable options, and online courses—like ours—can provide self-paced learning opportunities to help you critically assess health and fitness information. 

Final Thoughts

Being aware of the Appeal to Authority fallacy can help you become a more informed consumer of fitness and nutrition content. Instead of accepting claims at face value based on someone’s title or appearance, take a step back and analyze the evidence behind their statements. By developing critical thinking skills and educating yourself, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the vast amount of information available online.

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