Why the extreme #SkinnyTok trend doesn’t work & why it’s dangerous

I’m much of a TikTok user - every time I give it a go, I feel my happiness levels spiral downwards as I’m bombarded with ridiculous and depressing ideas about weight, health, and how women and girls aught to be. In the name of research, though, I’ve sat through some jaw-droppingly stupid videos from young women encouraging unhealthy behaviours and self-harm. I am disappointed by how popular this repackaged ‘pro-anorexia’ content on TikTok is, and why it even exists… so feel compelled to share my thoughts on why you should ignore it.

What is SkinnyTok?

If you search #SkinnyTok on TikTok, you will be served a range of content - some of it promoting weight loss through a calorie deficit (not unreasonable) but some of it a blueprint for developing an eating disorder. In most SkinnyTok content, users share tips for extreme restriction, celebrate dangerous weight loss practices, and use verbal abuse as a motivational tool. Their twisted logic suggests that if you shame, hate and berate yourself enough, you'll find the motivation to lose weight to the point of being “skinny”.  And by the way, in some of these videos, “skinny” just looks “ill”. What you’ll get is young women who look desperate and more than a little stupid, showing off how they got their skinny look by eating next to nothing and insulting themselves, and each other.

You won’t just find endless rehashes of the infamous Kate Moss quote “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”, but the more brutal and debasing “if you’re not a dog you don’t need a treat” or “if you’re not hungry, bitch close your mouth” type mantras. Over and over.

Why SkinnyTok is dangerous

Most sensible people know that social media influencers aren’t experts and don’t have your best interests at heart, but not everyone knows how to tell good advice from total nonsense. So let’s debunk some key SkinnyTok messages.

SkinnyTok tells people that being very skinny is desirable.

Be slim, be skinny, be whatever size you want, but be healthy. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, being healthy and feeling good is paramount. Being skinny isn’t the be-all-and-end-all. Oh, and perfect doesn’t exist.

SkinnyTok tells people that they should hate themselves unless they are skinny.

We think it’s important to love your body and yourself whatever your size. The message that only skinny will do stigmatises any other body shape. It’s just not cool.

SkinnyTok tells people to hardly eat any food.

This would leave your body without the nutrients it needs. Your hair may thin, or fall out. You may develop skin problems. And that’s just the beginning of the physical harm you will do if you don’t eat. Additionally and conversely, extreme restriction can lead to rebound weight gain, leaving people heavier than when they started. Weight cycling (the cycle of restriction and rebound weight gain) can create a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and disordered eating behaviors.

SkinnyTok normalises insults and shame.

When people are ashamed about their bodies or their eating, they're more likely to engage in emotional eating or binge behaviors. Instead, it’s vital to build self esteem and self love to ensure greater emotional wellbeing. It’s not normal or healthy to endlessly insult yourself.

SkinnyTok shapes the beliefs of young women and girls.

And that is unforgivable.

The “shame and starve” approach completely inverts everything I know about sustainable health and wellbeing. It would be funny if it weren’t so awful.

Where’s the harm?

Many #SkinnyTok ’creators’ appear to be struggling with their own disordered relationships with food and their bodies and share their dysfunction as success.  For many SkinnyTok fans, though, the harm is minimal once they realise they’re aiming for an unachievable and unsustainable ideal and give up, or find a more sensible and enjoyable way to manage their weight.

Sadly though, there could however be grave harm for others. I remember watching friend eat less than apple a day in the early 90s. Having seen her hospitalised with anorexia and weighing ~5 stones at the age of 15, I know the impact that eating disorders can have on young people.

Young people are more vulnerable to social influence. When an online community that you’re a part of celebrates your ability to restrict food or endure self-criticism, it becomes incredibly difficult to recognise that these behaviors are harmful.

According to Park Nicollet Melrose Center, more than 80% of ten year olds are afraid of being fat and 80% women are unhappy with their looks.  Clearly SkinnyTok didn’t cause all of that, but it is reinforcing these unhelpful beliefs.

Getting help to Lose Weight Well

If you've been tempted by #SkinnyTok or similar content, remember that #healthyweightloss is not dramatic or rapid and never requires you to starve or shame yourself. Love yourself first and always - in a world full of voices telling us we're not enough, choosing self-compassion becomes an act of rebellion. And of course, we‘re here to help: Eatiful will help you change how you eat, and help you eat when you’re hungry, nourish your body, enjoy food more, build your self-esteem, and achieve your healthy weight goal.

Getting help with Social Media and Body Image for young people

If you’re worried about the effects of SkinnyTok content on yourself or on children and young people, there are organisations around who can help.

TikTok - TikTok puts warning banners on some content and after a lot of SKinnyTok searches it even stopped showing content and offered some external and expert resources on eating disorders.  If you see content that clearly encourages eating disorders or harmful behaviors, you can report it.

The Social Media Victim’s Law Center (USA) - focusses on the damaging effects social media can have on some of our lives. “Social media has been found to have a significant impact on the body image of teens. …Teenagers are perpetually exposed to a barrage of images, posts, and comments that create an idealised and often unrealistic standard of beauty. The pressure to conform to these social standards leads to negative mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.” They help families whose children and teens are affected by social media addiction. Find out more here.

The Safer Internet Centre (UK) - provides support and services to children and young people and adults facing online harms, and professionals working with children. Find out more here.

Or use the Which? Guide on setting up parental controls for smartphones or social media.

Or learn more about the Delay Smartphones campaign.

Stay safe!