Social media is pushing vulnerable young people toward eating disorders by glorifying thinness and spreading harmful diet advice, experts say.
Young women and girls are more likely to develop conditions like anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder. However, rates among men are also rising.
Research shows that worldwide, the percentage of people who have experienced an eating disorder increased from 3.5% in 2000 to 7.8% in 2018. This period corresponds with the growth of social media.
Health professionals helping teens recover say misinformation from influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram is a major obstacle.
“We can no longer treat eating disorders without addressing social media use,” said Carole Copti, a French dietitian and nutritionist. She added, “Social media is a trigger, an accelerator, and a barrier to recovery.”
Eating disorders have complex causes. Psychological, genetic, environmental, and social factors all play a role. Social media is not the root cause, but it can be the “straw that breaks the camel’s back,” said Nathalie Godart, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Student Health Foundation of France.
By promoting extreme thinness, strict diets, and intense exercise, social media weakens already vulnerable individuals and increases health risks, she explained.
A recent example is the #skinnytok trend on TikTok. This hashtag features dangerous advice urging people to drastically cut their food intake. After pressure from the French government, TikTok banned #skinnytok on June 2.
French nurse Charlyne Buigues, who specializes in eating disorders, said social media acts as a gateway where these problems are “normalized.” She criticized videos showing young girls with anorexia exposing their malnourished bodies and others demonstrating bulimia behaviors like purging.
“Taking laxatives or vomiting is shown as a normal way to lose weight, but it actually raises the risk of heart failure,” Buigues said.
Social media also makes recovery more difficult. Copti explained that young people often believe misleading diet tips they see online. This prolongs their illness.
Eating disorders can cause serious health issues such as heart damage, infertility, and even lead to suicide. Anorexia has the highest death rate of any psychiatric disorder. In France, eating disorders are the second leading cause of early death among 15- to 24-year-olds, according to the country’s public health insurance agency.
Copti described social media as creating a “vicious cycle.” People with eating disorders often have low self-esteem, but sharing their extreme thinness on social media can bring likes and followers. This attention encourages them to continue their harmful behaviors and deny their illness.
This problem worsens when the content generates income. Buigues shared a case of a young woman who livestreams herself vomiting on TikTok. The woman said she gets paid by the platform and uses the money to buy food.
Eating disorders are also increasing among men, experts say.
Copti said she often has to battle misinformation during her consultations. Patients believe extreme dieting is healthy, even when it is clearly harmful.
“They are completely indoctrinated. My 45-minute weekly sessions are no match for the hours they spend daily on TikTok,” she said.
Godart warned about the rise of “pseudo-coaches” online who share false and sometimes illegal nutrition advice. “These influencers have more influence than official institutions. We struggle to get simple nutrition messages across,” she said. She noted that help is available for those who seek it.
Buigues regularly reports harmful content on Instagram but finds it ineffective. “The posts stay up, and accounts rarely get suspended. It’s exhausting,” she said.
She often advises patients to delete their social media accounts, especially TikTok. “It may seem extreme, but until young people are better informed, the app is too dangerous,” Buigues added.
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