Health experts are raising concerns about the growing impact of social media on eating disorders among young women and girls. Disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are becoming more common — with global cases more than doubling between in a period that also saw the rise of platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Professionals say these platforms are now playing a dangerous role in both triggering and worsening eating disorders. Carole Copti, a French nutritionist, said eating disorder treatment now always includes addressing social media use, which has become “a trigger, an accelerator, and a barrier to recovery.”
Trends like #skinnytok on TikTok encourage extreme dieting and harmful behavior, including vomiting or taking laxatives to lose weight. Videos showing unhealthy weight loss are often praised with likes and views, creating a dangerous cycle of validation for those struggling with low self-esteem.
Experts say young people are especially vulnerable to misleading diet advice online. Many believe harmful myths, such as surviving on just 1,000 calories or skipping meals, which health professionals strongly oppose.
Anorexia is the deadliest psychiatric disorder, and eating disorders are a leading cause of early death in French youth aged 15 to 24. Experts warn that social media influencers, often with no medical background, spread false or even illegal advice that is hard to combat.
Some professionals are urging teens to delete platforms like TikTok altogether to avoid harmful content until stronger protections are in place.
