Communicating Nutritional Knowledge to the Chinese Public: Examining Predictive Factors of User Engagement on TikTok in China

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to identify content variables that theoretical research suggests should be considered as strategic approaches to facilitate science communication with the public and to assess their practical effects on user engagement metrics. Methods: Data were collected from the official Chinese TikTok account (Douyin) of the Nutrition Research Institute of China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation, China’s largest state-owned food processing conglomerate. Dependent variables included likes, shares, comments, subscription increases. Independent variables encompassed explanation of jargon (metaphor, personification, science visualization), communication remarks (conclusion presence, recommendation presence), and content themes. Descriptive analysis and negative binomial regression were employed, with statistical significance set at 0.05. Results: First, subscription increases were positively associated with personification (p < 0.05, 0.024) and science visualization (p < 0.01, 0.000). Second, a positive relationship existed between comments and communicator recommendations (p < 0.01, 0.000), while presenting conclusions negatively correlated with shares (p < 0.05, 0.012). Conclusions: Different strategies yielded improvements in various engagement metrics. This can provide practical guidance for communicators, emphasizing the need to balance scholarly presentation with sustaining appealing statistics.