Everybody struggles with body image. Women, men, girls, boys, old people, and young people; with social media on the rise, battling with body image gets increasingly more difficult, especially in teen girls.

Eating disorders (ED) are commonly described as the restricting, binging, or purging of food. However, those are not the only symptoms of an ED, though they are the most common. Eating disorders can be developed due to a phobia, trauma, or other mental health struggles.

Though many things can cause eating disorders, social media is one of many factors that play a role in the development of eating disorders.

Internet trends like “girl dinner” and “meanspo” encourage malnutrition, and reiterate the impossible beauty standards that have been set for women.

“Girl dinner” is a trend in which teens and women make videos explaining their unthoughtful meal choices, which tend to be a mix of random snacks from around the house that are nowhere near close to the nutrition of a proper meal. Along with that, “meanspo” is a trend where the internet shames and insults people in an attempt to inspire an eating disorder. Some comments include “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” which was said in a 2009 interview by Kate Moss. Multiple accounts on TikTok post triggering slideshows reprimanding the viewer simply for eating, and they promote unhealthy relationships with food.

Content creators should be more mindful of the negative effects their videos may cause. Exposure to material that promotes such an unhealthy lifestyle will lead to the development of an eating disorder and eventually the determination of the body. When social media began having a negative influence on teenagers, there was an increase in suicide rates, eating disorders, and other mental health issues. 

“According to my research, the increase in eating disorders more than doubled. We just may not be aware of these students having this,” school nurse Cathy Collins said.

Trends and accounts that support eating disorders are dangerous to those in recovery, struggling, and even children on the internet. Young minds are impressionable, and those who come across content that is subjective towards eating disorders could end up with one.

“I see them [celebrities/influencers] and I think ‘Why don’t I look like that?’ and ‘I wish I looked like that,’ and I try to do stuff to be skinnier,” former WEGO student Kayliana Koeune said.

The overall effect social media has on body image is incredibly negative, but with more “body positive” accounts surfacing the internet, one could hope that the rate of eating disorders will decrease in the next few years. People with eating disorders, specifically young girls, need all the help they can get. The lack of nutrients has many poor effects on the health of growing bodies, and could eventually lead to death if not treated.

“We need not to criticize them because we are not aware of what they are going through.  We do not know all the answers and we need them to know that we support them,” Collins said.