Social media has reshaped how we view ourselves – and not always for the better. Millions of people scroll through curated social media streams that showcase someone else’s idea of “perfection”. It’s easy to succumb to social media’s overwhelming influence on the way we look and how that relates to the food we eat.
Yet the streams we find ourselves in are often contaminated with unrealistic expectations and devoid of any truth, research, or evidence.
The rise of social media and body image
The influence that social media has on our lives has become something of a phenomenon. As of 2024, the UK is home to 56 million social media users, equal to 82% of the entire population.
Social media has risen like an unstoppable tide that influences almost every aspect of our lives. Many people make strong efforts to carefully curate the videos that appear to them, yet they still feel bombarded with images of the “ideal body.”
A ceaseless stream of glamorous yet digitally manipulated photos and videos takes centre stage to entice you into having a more “attractive” body, often deeply affecting your relationship with what you eat.
How social media leads to negative body image ideation
Body image is a combination of the thoughts and feelings you have toward your body and the bodies of others. This perception is influenced by internal factors (such as personality and experiences) and external factors (like society and the environment).
When posting on social media, many content creators emphasise appearance above all else, even if they don’t overtly say so. There is nothing inherently wrong with desiring visual attractiveness, but the use of filters and editing tools can go unnoticed by a viewer. For many people, this has galvanised a culture of comparison, in which there is no end to pursuing a “more ideal” body.
If people aren’t able to recognise that what they’re being shown is not obtainable because it is not real, then negative body image ideations can begin to form in the mind. Body image dissatisfaction can lead people to experiment with unhealthy weight-control behaviours, particularly disordered eating. This, in turn, can place them at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder.
Some signs that you or a loved one may be experiencing body dissatisfaction include:
- Repetitive and harsh dieting behaviour (meticulous calorie counting, skipping meals)
- Exercise routines that become compulsive and painful
- Compulsive “checking” behaviours (reflected appearance, body part measuring, pinching skin)
- Excessive time modifying your appearance, hair, make-up and wardrobe
- Constantly body shaming others
- Ceaseless social comparison
- Body dysmorphia
- Avoidance of situations where body image can cause anxiety (swimming, socialising)
These signs of body dissatisfaction may not be solely caused by social media usage. However, engaging with misleading social media posts for fitness and health may increase your likelihood of experiencing them.
Social media’s influence on children and adolescents
The influence of social media is particularly prevalent among teenagers. Parents often see social media’s influence over their children as worrying. Some reports indicate that young people clock six to eight hours of screen time each day, most of which is viewing social media.
Another interesting point is that the resulting influence on teenagers is not just one way. The point of origin (phone or device) does influence teenage viewers, but further pressure is experienced inter-personally from user-to-user comments, further influencing the in-group standards of accepted beauty and body ideals.
These primary and secondary effects on teenage body image perception can be devastating, potentially impacting their eating habits. For many children and adolescents, social media is a catalyst for body image struggles that continue long into adulthood.
The long-term effects of these struggles often impair mental and physical health. Distorted and detrimental attitudes towards eating and nutrition can form, which are cornerstones to developing an eating disorder.
What kinds of eating disorders is social media likely to cause?
The selective and carefully curated world of social media can push people toward harmful attitudes towards nutrition and body image. It might not single-handedly be responsible for all eating disorders, but the constant exposure to “standardised beauty” can lead to or exacerbate several types of eating disorders.
Some of the most common eating disorders that are linked to body dissatisfaction and social media’s influence include:
- Anorexia nervosa: Anorexia is characterised by extreme dieting and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Anorexia is classified into two subtypes; “restrictive” and “binge-purge” anorexia. Suffering from restrictive anorexia means placing harsh and detrimental limits on the amount you eat. “Binge-purge” anorexia involves episodically overeating followed by self-induced vomiting or laxative usage to “purge” the food you consumed. Rising social media “Thinspiration” trends can inspire this dangerous eating disorder in viewers.
- Bulimia nervosa: People with bulimia usually have a normal weight or above (BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9), yet still engage in the cycle of binging and purging. Social media is often fraught with pressures to stay fit and flawless, which can drive people into this destructive loop. Food becomes the enemy, and perfection feels unattainable.
- Binge-eating disorder: People with binge-eating disorder eat excessive amounts of food in a short time, often to cope with emotions that torment them. Unlike bulimia, binge-eating disorder doesn’t involve purging – just guilt. Rising trends in food consumption such as Muikbang might encourage a person to overeat. These social media trends rarely show how the meal’s nutritional value, or lack thereof, relates to the body or how it is digested.
The DSM-5 currently has at least 8 classifications for eating disorders. The evolution of nutrition and our understanding of eating attitudes is continually expanding. Social media keeps up with (or perhaps even determines the pace for) novel, destructive relationships and habits with food.
Body dysmorphia, for example, isn’t a classified eating disorder but is closely related. It involves obsessing over one’s perceived flaws. A social influencer’s proposed idea of “perfection” may cause viewers to feel hyper-aware of any imperfections they perceive in their bodies.
Additionally, orthorexia is an unhealthy fixation on “clean eating” and is rising in popularity. The risk comes when social media provides non-factual evidence for which foods should be considered “pure” or “healthy.” Endless detox and fitness gurus often promote this kind of obsession online.
Coping with the negative effects of social media
At times, pulling yourself out of social media’s negative feedback loop may seem difficult. However, there are ways to protect yourself from some of social media’s damaging effects.
Some of the ways you can better defend yourself from social media’s harmful effects include:
- Be diligent about curating content: Make an effort to find body-positive content and unfollow accounts that you know damage your body image perception and self-esteem.
- Stay out of comments: After finding more professional and positive influencers, remember that comment sections usually have a degree of anonymity. They’re also often filled with bot posts that sound more realistic by the day, so be careful of this.
- Set limits: Try to calculate the precise amount of time you’re spending on social media. It’s not always easy to keep track of yourself, so make the most of positive “minimalist” apps that create reports on your screen time and viewing habits.
- Take a break: Don’t be afraid of simply uninstalling a social media app. Studies show that cutting back on social media for a few weeks boosts body confidence in teens and young adults.Please remember to be kind to yourself. We are all, in one way or another, affected by the way we are perceived by others. The way we perceive people on social media can directly contribute to our mental health prospering or declining.
I don’t know where to turn for my eating disorder
If you’ve been affected by the points raised today, we want to take this moment to reach out to you. Eating disorders are complex and multifaceted. We know how difficult eating disorders can be to overcome alone.
Here at UKAT, we specialise in the treatment of many eating disorders. Our professional staff are trained to help you and your loved ones every step of the way. We provide complete recovery programmes that help you return to healthier living.
Contact us today for the care you need to get out of an eating disorder. We’re only one phone call away to help you toward a healthier life.