Can Social Media Cause Eating Disorders in Children?

The rise of social media has changed so much about modern life, from how we communicate to how we see one another and even ourselves. Unfortunately, as more research is done on the subject, it’s become clear that many of those effects are negative.

Social media has become particularly connected to eating disorders over the years, with research showing it has a negative impact on mental health and body image issues, among other factors. And sadly, this impact can even be seen in children.

However, there are ways to combat the influence of social media and the detrimental effects it may have on young followers.

Table of Contents

    Social Media and Eating Disorders

    Eating disorders have long been tied to pop culture and the unrealistic beauty standards it perpetuates. Social media is not only a vehicle for these messages but also a platform for millions of individuals, influencers, and brands to promote their own unhealthy images and perspectives.

    Add to that the opportunity to compare oneself to millions of others, the liberal use of filters, AI, and other photo enhancers online, and the fact that social media platforms can be accessed at any time, and it can lead to a number of troubling trends.

    Social Media and Toxic Diet Culture

    One of the biggest ways social media can have a negative impact on children and other social media users is by promoting toxic diet culture. The phrase refers to the general belief that there is one “correct” body type—slender and/or fit, that it’s possible for everyone to achieve this body type, and that achieving it should be everyone’s top priority.

    Toxic diet culture promotes weight loss or management, usually by extreme means, above nearly all else, operating off the idea that “thinness” is not only equated with health but a person’s inherent value. It also works to normalize negative self-talk, especially around the ideas of food, eating, or weight, and promotes the unhealthy notion that foods are inherently “good” or “bad.”3

    Social media has been found to promote these ideals in numerous ways, whether outrightly or more subliminally. Entire brands or influencer platforms are built around the concept, and it’s not uncommon for edited photos or other deceptive tactics to be used in promoting these materials.3

    Some research suggests that even sites claiming to promote “health and wellness” can have these detrimental effects.1 The wellness movement was started, in part, as a way to focus on self-love or self-care, as opposed to the thin ideal. However, many of these pages were found to still heavily feature ideas about weight management, particularly through diet and exercise, with these posts routinely having high user engagement.1

    Social Media and Body Image

    Social media usage has also been repeatedly connected to body image issues, which is a key factor in maintaining or developing eating disorders.

    One comprehensive study, which looked at the results of 50 different analyses from 17 countries, concluded that social media usage led to:2

    • Body image concerns
    • Eating disorders and/or disordered eating behaviors
    • Thin/fit ideal internalization
    • Negative self-esteem associated with social comparison
    • Greater self-objectification

    Other research showed that it wasn’t just following a particular social media account that made a difference, but the way users engaged with these platforms. Passive use—or looking at, but not interacting with—social media content and following a large number of strangers, such as influencers or brands, were particularly tied to poor social comparison.1

    These types of negative comparisons can foster concerns over one’s body shape, size, or weight. Making the feeling more intense is likely the use of so many filters and photo editing techniques on these posts, which make subjects and the beauty ideals they promote look unrealistic.

    Social Media and Mental Health

    The impact of social media sites on mental health is still very much being researched. While some potential benefits have been identified, numerous studies have found a number of risk factors for mental health and overall well-being.

    Interaction of any kind with these platforms has been connected to increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, social isolation, exposure to bullying, and an increased risk of harm. And sadly, these trends were particularly high among adolescent social media users.4

    In these tests, the amount of time users spent on social media also made a difference, with those spending more time on the platforms reporting higher increases in depressive and anxious symptoms. Using a greater number of social media platforms also increased the odds of experiencing high levels of depression or anxiety symptoms.4

    Other studies have tied social media use to increased body dissatisfaction, lowered self-esteem, and body image-related anxiety.3 Together, these issues often work to support or help develop eating disorders or related eating disorder behavior.

    Social Media and Children

    Social media is popular among nearly all age groups, but the platforms are making particular inroads with children as time goes on.

    One study that examined families in Italy found that 85.8% of children aged 11-17 were regular smartphone users, with as many as 46% reporting at least 3 hours of daily use. Social media was part of smartphone use in nearly 60% of these cases.5

    Some scientists warned that the overlap between social media introduction and puberty is especially troubling. During this period, children are susceptible to feedback from peers and prone to crave more social attention, which can lead to less-than-ideal behavior or interactions online.6

    The potent cocktail can also put children in this age range at a higher risk for developing an addiction to social media, with some research finding as many as 50% of teens showcasing at least one symptom of clinical dependency on social media.6

    Children using social media

    How to Prevent the Negative Effects of Social Media on Children

    For all its good, bad, and ugly, it seems social media is here to stay.

    It may be impossible to shield children from all the negative effects of social media, but there are some tips that may help them stay away from content that encourages body shaming, toxic diet culture, the thin ideal, and other troubling perspectives.

    Setting Social Media Restrictions

    Nearly every smart device and internet plan has an option for parental controls. Depending on the service, you may be able to control which social media platforms or accounts your child does or does not have access to, as well as the amount of time they’re allowed to spend on social media.

    Still, in order to successfully set social media restrictions, you should do some research first. Look into the influencers, brands, or hashtags popular in diet culture, “thinspiration,” or other related topics. It can take a lot of work to keep up with the latest trends, but an internet search on the subject may be helpful.

    Avoiding Toxic Posts on Social Media

    In general, helping your child avoid toxic posts on social media can be a helpful way to protect them from dangerous perspectives. Aside from blocking these sites altogether, you can also help educate your child about the truth of social media, photo manipulation, and how to look out for harmful content.

    Improving a child’s social media literacy can be especially helpful for older children, who will likely have more exposure to social media. And when it comes to eating disorders, social media platforms are beginning to take notice. Some sites, like TikTok, are taking more aggressive stances against the promotion of dangerous eating behaviors and restricting videos or outright blocking them.

    You can check the policies of your child’s favorite social media websites for more information or help on how to guide their experience.

    Increasing Positive Exposure

    It’s also possible for social media to create a positive online environment. Even studies that found negative impacts of these sites acknowledged that they can be used to promote a sense of community and positivity in the right circumstances.4

    Along with weeding out negative posts and accounts, you can look for accounts that promote positive, neutral, or healthy language or images around eating, food, and appearance. Just remember: many posts that say they promote these ideals are actually diet culture posts in disguise, so make sure to use your best judgment.

    You may even want to openly discuss eating disorders, their potential causes, and their potential negative impacts on your child, particularly if you notice some signs of disordered behavior, such as an overwhelming desire to lose weight. Encouraging them to place self-worth in their interests and achievements rather than their appearance can be another powerful protection against unhealthy thinking.

    It can be frustrating and upsetting to watch a child be increasingly influenced by social media. But with the right kind of guidance, they can make the most of this ubiquitous technology and get the most benefit out of it as possible.

    Resources

    1. Marks R, De Foe A, Collett J. (2020). The pursuit of wellness: Social media, body image, and eating disorders. Children and Youth Services Review; 119:105659.
    2. Dane A, Bhatia K. (2023). The social media diet: A scoping review to investigate the association between social media, body image and eating disorders amongst young people. PLOS Global Public Health; 3(3):e0001091.
    3. Daryanani A. (2021, January 28). What Is “Diet Culture”? University of California, San Diego. Accessed August 2024.
    4. Naslund J, Bondre A, Tourus J, Aschbrenner K. (2020). Social Media and Mental Health: Benefits, Risks, and Opportunities for Research and Practice. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science; 5:245–257.
    5. Bozzola E, Spina G, Agostiniani R, Barni S, Russo R, Scarpato E, Di Mauro A, Di Stefano A V, Caruso C, Corsello G, Staiano A. (2022). The Use of Social Media in Children and Adolescents: Scoping Review on the Potential Risks. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health; 19(16):9960.
    6. APA chief scientist outlines potential harms, benefits of social media for kids. (2023, February 14). American Psychological Association. Accessed August 2024.

    Published September 30, 2024