The fit body democratised : fitness literacy as biohacking on YouTube

Abstract

Despite the excellent health care of modern times, lifestyle-related illnesses are increasing at a startling rate. Contemporary society contributes to behaviours such as poor nutrition, inactivity, poor sleep and excessive stress. However, exercise has been proven to reduce the chances of health problems and more information about ways to improve the quality of one’s lifestyle is readily available through the Internet. The impact that biohacking YouTube videos have on shaping the knowledge and fitness of the general public is examined. It is argued that this form of literacy enables corporeal control and transformation and that the digital platform contributes to do-it-yourself healthcare. A parallel is drawn between the historical impact of the development of the printing press on public literacy, and the effect of social media on improving fitness literacy. Top-performing fitness channels were analysed to determine the impact of biohacking media on YouTube. While user engagement on popular fitness videos reflected different degrees of understanding of fitness practices, analysis of user engagement clearly revealed aspects of increased fitness literacy in public discourse on YouTube. It is concluded that YouTube stimulates the enhancement of audience fitness literacy, thereby influencing do-it-yourself healthcare of the lay public.