The Connection Between Social Media And Eating Disorders

Research suggests that over the past 10 years, the prevalence of eating disorders has more than doubled. It’s thought that the misuse of social media may be a contributing factor to the rise in eating disorders. This connection seems to be especially notable in adolescents, who have experienced a rise in both social media use and eating disorder prevalence. Social media users can take steps to limit the negative impact of using these platforms. For individuals who are struggling with mental health challenges or eating disorders associated with social media use, therapy can equip them with the tools they deserve to improve their mental health. 

The connection between eating disorders and mental health

Eating disorders can be categorized as behavioral conditions that can impact not only a person’s relationship with food, but also their thoughts and emotions. Someone with an eating disorder is typically preoccupied with food, their weight, anxiety about eating, or the consequences of eating a certain food. Eating disorders often co-occur with various mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and alcohol and substance use disorders. 

How might social media contribute to an eating disorder?

The National Eating Disorders Association suggests that there is a clear link between social media consumption and the risk of developing eating disorders, such as binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and anorexia nervosa. There are a few potential reasons why social media could lead to the development of an eating disorder. 

Promoting unrealistic beauty standards

Social media can be seen as a careful curation of content that users want to share with others. With filters and Photoshop, content creators can post picture-perfect images on their social media accounts that don’t portray how they really look. 

Even without edits, users can utilize specific poses to hide their stomachs or disguise cellulite on their legs. Users are often exposed to a constant barrage of images that are edited, retouched, or AI-generated. These unattainable beauty standards may entice adolescents and other users to engage in disordered eating in an attempt to attain similar body shapes. 

Cyberbullying

Any form of public content can be vulnerable to a barrage of comments from strangers across the globe. Thanks to the anonymity of the internet, many people have no problem with criticizing others to the point of being hateful. Some comments may even encourage others to engage in self-harm or suicidal ideation. A user can face criticism for their appearance, food choices, or other factors associated with their body image. 

Misinformation 

Around 40% of weight loss advertising includes false or unsubstantiated claims, and 93% contains at least one deceptive statement. Social media fact checkers may catch outrageously untrue statements, but many posts fly under the radar and share body- and weight-related information that is misleading or downright untrue. 

Research shows that social media impacts users in different ways

The impact of social media use can vary, and age and gender are usually two of the biggest risk factors. For teenage girls, social media and eating disorders can go hand in hand. Young women who already have body image concerns and a high BMI are typically most at risk of being negatively impacted by what they see on social media. 

Female social media users are often exposed to “thinspiration,” which encourages a slim body type, while male users are frequently exposed to “fitspiration,” which encourages a muscular body type. 

However, social media may not be all bad. For transgender and non-binary people, using social media can improve body image and overall mental health. Facebook groups and Reddit communities can function as spaces to gather with others who share similar backgrounds, which may be especially liberating for young adults who experience a sense of isolation in their physical communities. 

Certain social media platforms may have a stronger association with eating disorders

Platforms that focus on photo- and video-specific content are generally more likely to contribute to eating disorders. Teenage girls have identified Instagram and TikTok as the two apps that have most contributed to poor body image.

Social media platforms may also approach disordered eating in different ways. YouTube typically allows users to search for eating disorder content, although it does include an eating disorder helpline banner at the top of search results for some phrases related to the topic. While some videos related to eating disorders are available on TikTok, a search for “anorexia” prompts a display of the phone number for the National Eating Disorders Association. 

Social media can function as an echo chamber 

Social media algorithms are typically designed to funnel similar content to users. Researchers at USC Viterbi’s Information Sciences Institute used machine learning tools to evaluate patterns in tweets relating to diet and weight loss, then used hashtags from those tweets to identify related online communities. When they analyzed the conversations that community members were having, they found that many communities were acting as echo chambers. Users often interacted with one another, but rarely with others outside of their groups. 

Even when platforms work to remove harmful content, users may devise strategies to get around filters and continue to engage in conversations about the best way to drop a few more pounds. They might use creative, insider hashtags or form group chats on Snapchat and Discord. 

A rising social media trend: Orthorexia

Orthorexia nervosa generally involves an obsession with nutrition and related restrictive behaviors, often including overexercising.

On the surface, orthorexia may seem like a positive thing. What could be wrong with wanting to prioritize nutritious eating habits and avoid junk food? However, people with this disorder usually engage in healthy eating to an extreme. Their limited eating habits and restrictive behaviors can result in malnourishment and a poor quality of life. 

Orthorexia can even damage relationships, as individuals may spend large amounts of time preparing foods, exercising, fixating on their eating habits during conversations with other people, or avoiding social opportunities due to a lack of “approved” foods being available. 

How to prevent social media from negatively impacting your body image

You don’t have to completely eliminate social media use from your life in order to safeguard your body image. 

High social media literacy

Being mindful about the realities– and fantasies– of social media can help you view content through a more mindful lens. High social media literacy may equip you to interact with online content in a healthier and more constructive way. 

Researchers have identified a few key pillars of social media literacy:

1. Accessing media and technology tools skillfully
2. Analyzing and evaluating online messages
3. Creating content
4. Reflecting on your own online conduct
5. Interacting in online communities to share knowledge and help solve problems

The second pillar – evaluating online messages – can be critical to protecting your body image and discouraging eating disorders. Consider how certain content leads you to feel and what kind of behavior it encourages. When you come across posts that glorify overly thin ideals or encourage food restriction, hide them and work to reshape the content your algorithm is showing you. 

Body appreciation

Having a positive view of your body can reduce the impact of harmful online content, and body appreciation tends to be associated with better mental health overall. People with high body appreciation are usually more likely to reject appearance ideals like “thinspiration” and “fitspiration” and embrace the unique characteristics of their own bodies. 

You can promote stronger body appreciation in yourself by engaging in physical activities that help you become attuned with your body, such as dance and yoga. Exercise and going for walks in nature can also help you sense you are more at home in your body and thankful for all you can do with it. 

Parents can implement strategies to limit social media’s impact on body image

Adolescents can be especially vulnerable to the impact of social media on their body image. They also tend to comprise a large share of patients with eating disorders. Approximately 40% of cases occur among teenagers between the ages of 15 to 19. Parents can take steps to encourage the healthy use of social media and reduce the negative impact it can have on body image. 

Limit children’s time on social media

Limiting social media use can act as both a proactive and reactive solution. Less time on social media can prevent adolescents from being exposed to harmful messages and images that encourage eating disorders. High school students who use social media for more than two hours a day are about 1.6 times more likely to experience body image issues than students who spend less time using social media. 

For individuals who have poor body image or an eating disorder, it may be even more critical to limit social media use, as decreasing the use of social media can decrease eating disorder symptoms.

Seek professional support

As questions are raised about the addictive properties of platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it’s become clear that the allure of social media can be strong. Even if individuals want to reduce the control that social media seems to have over their minds, it may be difficult to develop the willpower to do so. Therapy can be a powerful tool to reshape unhelpful thought processes and discourage the negative impacts of social media on body image. 

Sometimes, it may be difficult for individuals to carve time out of their schedules to attend therapy. Many school and work schedules offer little flexibility, and individuals may have to wait weeks or months for an in-person therapy slot that aligns with their own availability. With online therapy, users can schedule sessions at the time that’s most convenient for them. Platforms like BetterHelp can provide access to thousands of therapists, making it easier to find a professional with whom you connect. 

Online therapy can effectively treat various mental health conditions. A 2021 study examined the effects of web-based cognitive behavioral therapy in treating individuals with eating disorders. Researchers found that the treatment generally resulted in long-term reductions in eating disorder psychopathology and body dissatisfaction. Participants also typically experienced lasting improvements in their physical health, mental health, and social functioning. 

Takeaway

Research often displays a clear relationship between social media use and an increased chance of developing an eating disorder. Platforms that showcase photo- and video-specific content may be especially prone to encouraging eating disorders. Because adolescents tend to be at a higher risk of being impacted by the messaging on social media, parents may find it useful to implement strategies that lessen its potential negative effects. Limiting teens’ use of these platforms may be one beneficial approach. It may also be beneficial to seek the help of a mental health professional in person or online, especially if social media users are experiencing other mental health consequences, such as symptoms of anxiety or depression.