In recent months, a dangerous trend known as “SkinnyTok” has spread on TikTok. This trend has unfortunately gone unnoticed by many users and health advocates. This trend encourages unhealthy weight loss and thinness via dozens of viral videos suggesting you limit daily calories to shockingly low levels. A quick Google search finds around 38,000 TikTok posts with the hashtag #SkinnyTok, a testament to how quickly this trend has spread on the platform. The trend is spreading, and opposition is mounting. People are rightly concerned about its possible negative effects on mental health and body image – particularly among vulnerable populations.
SkinnyTok is just the latest manifestation of the more pernicious “diet mentality” that has existed in mass media for decades. Too many advocates have bought into the idea that achieving and maintaining weight loss is simply a matter of eating less and moving more. This guidance may sometimes feel frustratingly reductive. This dangerous oversimplification is out of touch with the science of weight loss and the complicated interplay between health and weight. In fact, experts argue that taking such a limited approach can lead to the development of unhealthy eating patterns and set the stage for disordered eating.
The Historical Context of SkinnyTok
Now, people are likening SkinnyTok to a number of previous fads that romanticized dangerously thin bodies. These fads include the 1920s flapper diet, the 1960s obsession with supermodel Twiggy, and the 1990s “heroin chic” epidemic. Each of these movements played a role in creating societal pressures on body image and weight.
Martha Laham, an expert in body image and marketing, reflects on this historical context:
“The types of media and how we pursue it may be new, but the thin ideal has always been there when we take a historical look at Western beauty.”
This ongoing promotion of unhealthy weight and dangerous diet culture has serious repercussions on mental health. First, exposure to weight stigma further perpetuates the harmful idea that “thinner is better.” The emphasis on consumption above all else creates the conditions for disordered eating patterns or even clinically recognized eating disorders — especially among marginalized communities.
Andrea Mathis, a registered dietitian and body image expert, noted the pervasive nature of these messages:
“It is so ever-present that it’s difficult for people to acknowledge that it’s dieting. It’s easy to normalize it because people don’t think there’s a problem with the behavior.”
The Risks Associated with SkinnyTok
The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) has raised alarms about the harmful effects SkinnyTok may be having. Additionally, they caution that this material contributes to the development of disordered eating habits, particularly in vulnerable and easily influenced young audiences. Though TikTok has community guidelines prohibiting the promotion of disordered eating and other dangerous weight-loss behaviors, a lot of SkinnyTok videos manage to evade these bans.
TikTok has placed some limitations on SkinnyTok videos. Viewers of this content who are under 18 years of age are prohibited from viewing such material. It further doesn’t appear on the general public For You Feed. Yet, consumer advocates say that these actions fall far short of addressing the impact of the trend.
Phaith Montoya, an anti-diet culture influencer who is recovering from an eating disorder, expressed her concerns about this issue:
“This is where things start to go into disordered territory.”
In this new video, she warns about the dangers of body-shaming content. These messages are damaging to young people, putting them under pressure to live up to impossible expectations.
The Broader Implications for Health and Society
SkinnyTok furthers these often overly simplistic messages that encourage disordered eating. Such messages deflect from more meaningful discussions about equity and health. These body-positive conversations need to include a deeper conversation about the complexities of weight loss, healthy behaviors, and self-acceptance.
This trend poses disproportionate and distinct risks to people of color. They frequently deal with added stressors due to societal expectations surrounding body image. Experts stress the importance of having inclusive conversations about body positivity that speak to these disparities.
Commonplace sentiments like these are a symptom of a bigger problem and they deserve our immediate attention.
“If we remove the external behaviors, what’s underlying eating disorders is this core belief that I’m not good enough.”
Such sentiments reflect a larger societal challenge that necessitates urgent attention.