Impact of #PCOSweightloss: A global X hashtag analysis study of weight loss narratives in the PCOS community.

Introduction: Social media plays a significant role in fostering communities around health and wellness. The hashtag #PCOSweightloss has become a pivotal forum on the platform X, where individuals exchange experiences, share information, and motivate each other concerning weight loss strategies connected with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

Objective: This study aims to analyze the trends of #PCOSweightloss on X to gain insights into the social media metrics, including overall hashtag reach, key themes, and potential influence on management practices of PCOS.

Methods: Fedica research analytics tool (https://fedica.com) was utilized to automatically evaluate quantitatively the posts on the platform X containing #PCOSweightloss from July 1st, 2017 to July 1st, 2023.

Results: During the defined period, 1570 users shared 12,200 posts on X, gathering 2,967,001 views. The highest number of posts originated from the United States (38.6%), followed by India (30.6%) and the United Kingdom (10.6%). Top co-occurring hashtags associated with #PCOSweightloss included #PCOS, #healthyfood, #pcosmood and #diabetes. Physicians were key contributors to the discourse, contributing to 30% of the ten most engaging posts and 20% of the top ten influencers. Sentiment analysis revealed a predominant neutral sentiment (98%), while 1% each revealed positive and negative sentiments.

Conclusion: Our study affirms the substantial presence of #PCOSweightloss in the PCOS discourse on X. The involvement of physicians is particularly noteworthy, as it emphasizes the importance of expert-guided discussions in the online health discourse. On the background of geographical variances and the challenge of engaging a wider audience due to the limited follower counts of many participants, there is a clear opportunity for further community engagement and outreach. The prevailing neutral tone showcases a community engaged primarily in an informational exchange, setting the stage for more profound discussions of novel PCOS weight loss strategies.