Recent reports have highlighted a troubling trend on TikTok known as “SkinnyTok,” which promotes unhealthy weight loss practices and glorifies starvation. Professionals should be deeply alarmed by this trend. It treats food as a mere instrument and fosters a negative, self-hating culture of shame and low self-esteem.
Internal medicine specialist Dr. Asim Cheema raised concern about the trend, referring to SkinnyTok as raising medical red flags. Maria AbiHanna from the American Nutrition Association explained why that is so—that crash dieting doesn’t even work because the human body is inherently designed to fight against quick fat loss. Her statements expressed concern about the permanence of this shift. As she stated, it’s just another example of the dangerous diet culture that has lasted over the decades.
SkinnyTok promotes dieting practices so extreme it is a recipe for an eating disorder fixating on weight and body. Body-positive influencer Phaith Montoya, who is an eating disorder survivor, remarked, “Maybe it starts one way, but the more you do it with that mindset, it can turn into obsession.” This toxic obsession with body size creates physical hazards and can become a violent hazard to mental health.
As Stephen Buchwald of Manhattan Mental Health explains, the messages posted on this under SkinnyTok espouse a dangerous, harmful way of thinking. He continued, “This ideology ignores the multifaceted realities behind genetics, mental health, and socioeconomic status, and leans toward shame instead of support. It’s a toxic narrative disguised as empowerment.” This harmful pattern of competition can develop into stress and depression, especially among those who are already at risk.
TikTok’s community guidelines explicitly prohibit the promotion of disordered eating and dangerous weight loss practices. A lot of this content is still available to users over 18 and can be banned from the For You page. A search for “SkinnyTok” on the platform yields a message stating, “You are more than your weight,” along with links to resources for eating disorders.
While TikTok is cracking down on content that spreads these dangerous trends, the effects of SkinnyTok are continuing. Young users already see high volumes of curated thinness that are negatively impacting their mental health and self-esteem. As Montoya pointed out, “Seeing curated, unrealistic images of thinness on a daily basis can make people feel like they’re never ‘good enough.’”
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