Starving for ‘Likes' - social media's role in teen eating disorders

The Star

8 hours ago

In an age where teenagers are growing up online, social media has become more than just a place to connect – it's a constant mirror, often reflecting toxic messages about body image, beauty and self-worth.
Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat may seem harmless, but experts warn they are increasingly fuelling eating disorders among vulnerable young people by glorifying thinness and pushing unscientific, and sometimes dangerous, diet advice.
For many teenagers, especially young girls, the endless scroll of 'body goals' and 'what I eat in a day' posts can become a gateway to disordered eating.
According to the UK's 'Royal College of Psychiatrists', eating disorders are on the rise, with social media playing a significant role in shaping harmful body ideals.
Dr Agnes Ayton, Chair of the Faculty of Eating Disorders Psychiatry, says, "Social media can act as a catalyst, especially in young people who may already have low self-esteem or be going through emotionally vulnerable periods.
'The constant exposure to edited images and unrealistic body standards can severely distort how they view themselves."
Young women remain disproportionately affected, with anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder most commonly diagnosed in teenage females.
However, the numbers among teenage boys and young men are steadily climbing, as body image pressures take on new forms – from striving for extreme leanness to achieving the "perfect physique'.
Content that masquerades as wellness advice often hides rigid calorie restriction, punishing workout routines, and normalises obsessive food tracking – all signs of disordered behaviour.
The algorithms that power social media platforms only intensify the problem. Once a user interacts with diet or body-focused content, they're likely to be served more of the same – reinforcing unhealthy ideas and pushing extreme trends like 'thinspiration' and 'clean eating' to the point of orthorexia, and glorified starvation through water-only fasting challenges.
Much of this content is not only unregulated but also praised, liked and shared, giving it an air of legitimacy among peer groups.
Worryingly, many teens don't recognise the warning signs until they are deeply entrenched in harmful behaviour.
'What often starts as a harmless attempt to eat healthier or lose a bit of weight can spiral quickly,' says Dr Bryony Bamford, a London-based clinical psychologist specialising in adolescent eating disorders. 'The validation from social media – likes, comments, shares – reinforces the behaviour, even when it's clearly damaging.'
Parents, schools, and healthcare professionals are being urged to talk openly with young people about the content they consume and how it makes them feel.
Digital literacy and mental health education are becoming just as important as traditional classroom subjects. Experts also stress the importance of creating safer online environments, where body diversity is celebrated and recovery stories are amplified rather than silenced.
As the conversation around social media and mental health continues, one thing is clear: too many teenagers are sacrificing their wellbeing – and, in some cases, their lives.
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