Around 53% of TikTok users aged 18-29 say they trust health information on the app, with 19% following up with a doctor and 26% seeking mental health treatment based on content they've seen on the app, reveals a report by Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).

Mental health (66%) and weight loss (66%) were the most watched health content, the report adds.

“There is a relationship between frequency of TikTok use and the amount of health-related content people report seeing on the app,” the report notes. “Adults who use TikTok every day are more likely than those who use the app monthly or less often to say they’ve seen information or advice about each of the health-related topics included in the survey.”

About four in ten TikTok users say they’ve seen information or advice about vaccines (42%) on the platform, while about a third say the same about abortion (36%), prescription drugs (34%), and birth control (34%).

“Younger TikTok users are more likely than older users to say they’ve seen some of these topics on TikTok, with larger shares of users ages 18 to 29 saying they’ve seen information or advice about mental health (91%), weight loss (79%), abortion (59%), or birth control (52%),” the report says.

Women were found more likely than men who use TikTok to find information or advice about mental health (71% v. 61%) or birth control (41% v. 25%).  About half of women of reproductive age – or those aged 18 to 49 – reported seeing information or advice on TikTok about prescription birth control (54%) or abortion (48%).

Previous KFF polling has found that although few adults places high trust in health information on social media, frequent users were more likely to believe false claims about issues like COVID-19 vaccines, reproductive health, and gun safety.

In April this year, President Joe Biden signed into a law a bill that would ban TikTok in the US if its Chinese-owned parent company does not sell the platform within a year. The bill passed both chambers of Congress with bipartisan support, with many lawmakers, including President Biden, largely citing national security risks.

Also read: Study: Girls lead in social media use, boys more drawn to gaming - First Check