Quality and reliability of semaglutide-related health information on Chinese short-video platforms: a cross-sectional study of Bilibili and TikTok.

BACKGROUND: Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist originally developed for glycemic control, has recently gained widespread attention for its weight-loss effects. With the rapid rise of short-video platforms, these media have become important channels for disseminating health information. However, the quality, reliability, and underlying determinants of semaglutide-related content on such platforms have not been systematically characterized. METHODS: A cross-sectional content analysis was conducted on semaglutide-related videos from Bilibili and TikTok. Videos were collected on February 4, 2026. Two independent reviewers evaluated the quality of each video using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), and Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with information quality. RESULTS: A total of 225 videos were included (107 from Bilibili and 118 from TikTok). Most videos focused on weight loss (82.2%), while only 2.7% primarily discussed hypoglycemic effects. The overall median scores were 4.0 (3.0-4.0) for GQS, 4.0 (3.0-5.0) for mDISCERN, and 2.0 (1.0-3.0) for JAMA. TikTok videos had significantly higher JAMA scores than Bilibili videos (median 3 vs. 1, p < 0.001), while GQS and mDISCERN scores were comparable between platforms. In multivariable analyses, videos uploaded by medical professionals were consistently associated with higher quality scores across all three instruments, whereas commercial videos were associated with lower mDISCERN and GQS scores. Higher numbers of likes were independently associated with lower mDISCERN and GQS scores overall, and a higher number of comments on TikTok was similarly associated with lower quality scores, whereas a higher number of shares on Bilibili was positively associated with mDISCERN and JAMA scores. CONCLUSION: Semaglutide-related videos on Chinese short-video platforms demonstrated relatively high subjective quality and usability (mDISCERN and GQS), but markedly lower adherence to formal transparency benchmarks (JAMA), with substantial variability driven primarily by uploader professional background. Content produced by medical professionals tends to provide more reliable information, while engagement metrics do not consistently reflect information quality.