The Era of “SkinnyTok”

Diet Culture and “SkinnyTok”

Social media and different platforms are taking over our world. Platforms like TikTok can be helpful in creating connection and community, however they can expose us to harmful messages regarding weight and what it means to have the “perfect body.” Social media has changed our view and the way we think about our bodies, making it easier to compare and what we consider appropriate when it comes to food we eat or what one should look like. 

“Skinny Tok” is a term which describes content centered around weight loss, restrictive eating, body checking, and extreme thinness. This still continues to flood social media despite efforts to ban.  “Skinny Tok” focuses on material that is harmful and it has a huge impact on body image, self worth, and eating behaviors particularly to already vulnerable individuals with eating disorders. Individuals mistake the information for validating and motivating, because it idealizes image of very thin bodies. However, it encourages dangerous habits.

The Dangers of Diet Culture

Our society implies and pressures us to believe that being very thin is pretty, attractive, better, popular, or even healthier. Social media can amplify these beliefs. For someone who already struggles with an eating disorder this can be extremely triggering and harmful. Diets do not work and are not sustainable. Our bodies need nutrients and fuel. Instead of body acceptance it focuses on ways to change one’s body. 

Individuals spend hours scrolling on TikTok and may see content such as “what I eat in a day” in which people share their meals and portions sizes, eliminating food groups, intense workouts, routines, weight loss stories, and body comparisons. These messages can create unrealistic beliefs about what one’s body should look like.  Individual can start viewing their bodies through very critical lenses which can lead to engaging in unhealthy behaviors. It is not realistic to believe that our bodies are all the same or should look the same. Everyone’s body is unique and built differently. Comparing only gets us in trouble. 

The Connection to Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders are a serious mental health condition. A lot of people assume that they are simply about food and weight. However, eating disorders involve complex emotional, psychological, and social factors. Eating disorders affect people of all ages, genders, sizes, and backgrounds. Someone does not have to look “sick” to have an eating disorder. Eating disorders are often under diagnosed in individuals who are not underweight.

Exposure to weight-focused content on social media can lead to:

• Excessive working out
• Restrictive eating
• Fear of gaining weight
• Preoccupation with food
• Body checking
• Calorie counting
• Hyper-focus on appearance and weight
• Poor body image
• Binge eating
• Purging 

The Algorithm Trap 

The challenges with social media are that the algorithms learn how to get our attention. If someone watches, likes, comments, or searches body-focused content, they begin to see more of it. What can start with one video can be dozens in a short amount of time. After time, seeing this material can make someone believe that this is normal and everyone looks this way, or is engaging in these behaviors. Repeatedly hearing these messages and seeing such media can make it hard to see that it is misleading. This creates the illusion of “healthy” content. Health is not determined by a person’s appearance. Eating more food than someone else, having a larger body, or gaining weight does not mean that the person is “unhealthy or not perfect”.

Consider filling your feed with messages about body positivity, body acceptance, intuitive eating, movement for enjoyment, and realistic wellness. If your account brings up feelings of shame, guilt, anxious or preoccupied with your body, it maybe time to take break, mute, or unfollow. 

Vulnerable Populations 

Anyone can be affected by harmful body image messages, however adolescents and young adults maybe particularly vulnerable. It is hard already for teens to navigate puberty and natural body changes. Instead of accepting our bodies “Skinny Tok” sends the opposite message. The messages they receive through this content can be extremely harmful.  Adolescents are sensitive to appearance-based comparison and the repeated exposure to these images can impact self-worth. Filters, posing, lighting, editing, and cosmetic procedures can create unrealistic standards. Comparing to influencers who have different genetics, lifestyle, and resources can get individuals in trouble. As we know social media rarely shows the full picture.

A Reminder for Anyone Struggling

It may be helpful to seek support if you find yourself:

• Feeling stressed, anxious, or guilty after meals
• Preoccupation with weight and counting calories
• You are avoiding situations related to food
• You are obsessed with body image and how your body looks
• You eliminate food groups or have dietary rules
• You are body checking and comparing 

You don’t have to wait until your eating disorder becomes “bad enough” to seek help. Your self-worth is not determined by what size pants you wear or what number the scale shows. Health is so much more than what you see in the mirror. Your weight does not define you. What may start as an innocent comparison can turn into an obsession that can lead to major health risks. Early support can help prevent patterns from becoming chronic. Food is your basic need and is meant to nourish your not to create fear or shame. You do not have to be perfect to be healthy or earn the right to eat. Health is not a trend. Healing and recovery are within reach.