Counteracting some of the risks of disordered eating can begin at home.
Many teens are on social media daily—it may seem like constantly – but daily use varies. According to the Pew Research Center, about 7 in 10 U.S. teens say they visit YouTube every day — including 16% who do so almost constantly. TikTok is the second choice, and 58% of teens say they visit it daily. Far fewer report daily use of Facebook. TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram remain popular among teens: most teens aged 13 to 17 say they use TikTok (63%), Snapchat (60%), and Instagram (59%).
Highlights
- The Pew Research Center reports that about 7 in 10 U.S. teens say they visit YouTube every day – including 16% who do so almost constantly. Most teens aged 13 to 17 say they use TikTok (63%), Snapchat (60%), and Instagram (59%).
- Parents can emphasize healthy eating and exercise at home and avoid discussing issues around weight.
- Parents should consider that obese teenagers may have been subjected to weight discrimination, and talk to their teens about this.
In a recent study, Drs. Khushi Suhag, and Shyambabu Rauniyar of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Wardha, India, evaluated the effects of social networking sites (SNS) on eating disorders and body image among adolescents (Cureus. 2024. 16:e58674. doi 10.7759/cureus.58674). Their results highlight social networking’s possible harm and suggest a number of approaches families can take to counteract the negative effects of social media.
Compared to traditional media (like television), self-objectification characteristics may be more strongly influenced by the internet. SNS use has been linked to concerns about how eating disorders may develop or persist. Recent SNS trends, like “fitspiration,” which combines the words “fitness” and “inspiration,” idealize the concept with intense pictures of people with incredibly lean bodies. In contrast, other SNS trends like “thinspiration” or “bone-spiration” sites highlight physical changes due to particular eating disordered behaviors, like restricting one’s diet and achieving extreme weight loss. Studies on specific groups have revealed that they struggle with inhibitory and executive control (impulse control), comparable to individuals battling addictive behaviors.
Typical portrayals of beauty standards may be seen on several social media platforms. SNS development and growth, including that of Facebook and Instagram, have contributed to the spread of the “thin-and-fit” ideal. Additionally, because social media is a tool that teenagers frequently use associated with worries about individual liberty, monitoring one’s behavior, having obsessions, and using social media compulsively, it is a factor that allows attention to appearance. It is also evident from having access to social media features like facial filters and photo editing tools.
The authors note that much less attention has been placed on men and problems with food and body image on SNS. Boys and men are more likely to use platforms like Twitter and YouTube, which offer information, but these sites also offer young men the chance to edit and publish self-portraits on Instagram. Additionally, young men may look for material about muscles, and use SNS practices associated with muscle building. The highest risk for muscularity concerns and disordered eating appears to be conferred by appearance-based SNS behaviors.
Personalized material, frequently less moderated, more intense, and intended to keep users interested longer, is made available to viewers through algorithms, intensifying this relationship. The COVID lockdown also impacted SNS usage, which may be connected to a rise in eating disorders and the desire for thinness among teenagers and young women. The authors list several warning signs of an eating disorder for parents to consider (Table 1).
Table 1. Some warning signs of a teen at risk of disordered eating |
| Makes excuses to avoid eating or having a snack |
| Without a doctor’s prescription, consumes an unusually limited diet |
| Places excessive focus on nutrition or good eating, especially if it prevents one from taking part in events such as celebrating with a birthday cake, sporting banquets, or dining outside |
| Makes his or her own food instead of consuming what the family has |
| Avoids customary social activities |
| Constant worry or complaints about being overweight or unwell, along with suggestions for diet plans |
| Constantly examines oneself in the mirror to look for perceived imperfections |
| Constantly consumes a large amount of food |
| Uses herbal remedies, laxatives, or dietary supplements to lose weight |
| Works out far more than the ordinary person. This includes skipping rest days or days off due to an illness or injury, as well as refusing to go to social gatherings or other important life events because one wants to exercise |
| Knuckle calluses from forced vomiting |
| Tooth enamel loss that could be a sign of frequent vomiting |
| Leaves to use the toilet during or immediately after meals |
| Discusses despair, abhorrence, humiliation, or guilt related to eating behaviors |
| Sneaks food and eats covertly |
Helping families with teens at risk
According to the authors, clinicians can help families by encouraging them to emphasize healthy eating and exercise at home and to avoid discussing issues around weight. Families should be encouraged to have more frequent and wholesome family dinners, to discourage excessive diets, and to encourage teens to have a positive body image. Parents need to consider that many obese teenagers are subjected to weight discrimination, and to talk to their teens about this. These suggestions emphasize the significance of assisting adolescents and their families to take the emphasis off weight and to place it more on permanent behavioral changes.
Janice Goldschmidt
Has worked with individuals with IDD for the last decade, and written and presented her work in a range of professional formats. She received her Master’s degree in Nutrition from the University of Maryland-College Park, where she initially developed her program for development of food preparation skills, Active Engagement. As Director of Nutrition Services at Community Support Services, Inc. (Gaithersburg, MD), she has continued to build on Active Engagement, which now includes many differing contexts for guiding individuals with IDD and autism to independent cooking skills. She has also worked on the identification, classification, and treatment of eating disorders for this population.