The Impact of Social Media on Body Image & Eating
Social media is everywhere. We scroll through it while we’re sipping our morning coffee, during work and study breaks, and in the quiet moments before bed. It’s where we connect, catch up, and stay informed. But behind all the likes, hashtags, and perfectly filtered photos, social media is having a profound impact on how we perceive our bodies and on our relationship with food.
In particular, social media can harm body image and contribute to disordered eating habits. Let’s unpack why.
The Pressure to Conform to Unrealistic Body Ideals
The images we see on social media are often far from reality. With the help of filters, photo-editing apps, and carefully curated content, influencers and celebrities present a version of themselves that doesn’t necessarily reflect what they actually look like day-to-day. Unfortunately, these edited and often unrealistic images of “perfect” bodies can set an impossible standard for viewers.
When we constantly compare ourselves to these curated images, it’s easy to start feeling inadequate, unattractive, or unworthy. This pressure can make us hyper-focused on our own appearance and lead to feelings of body dissatisfaction. Research consistently shows that frequent exposure to idealised bodies on social media can worsen body image and even trigger disordered eating behaviours.
The Rise of “What I Eat in a Day” Posts
Another harmful trend is the “What I Eat in a Day” videos or posts. While they may seem harmless, these posts often promote restrictive eating habits or create a sense of competition around food. Watching others meticulously document their meals can cause you to second-guess your own eating choices and lead to comparison-based judgments, such as “Am I eating too much?” or “Should I be eating what they’re eating?”
These posts frequently promote unsustainable diets or eating patterns, reinforcing the idea that certain foods are “good” or “bad” and leading to feelings of guilt or anxiety around eating.
Social Media’s Role in Normalising Diet Culture
Diet culture thrives on social media, where influencers often promote quick fixes, detoxes, and weight-loss challenges. These messages encourage the belief that thinness equals health, success, and worthiness; ideas that are deeply rooted in diet culture. Constant exposure to these messages can cause viewers to internalise harmful beliefs about their bodies and food, perpetuating cycles of restriction, guilt, and shame around eating.
For individuals already vulnerable to disordered eating, social media can amplify these struggles, making it harder to break free from toxic diet culture.
How Social Media Fuels Fad Diets and Dangerous Trends
Social media has also become a breeding ground for dangerous dieting trends, often fueled by influencers with no formal nutrition or medical training or qualifications. From extreme calorie-cutting diets to unsustainable workout routines, these fads can be incredibly harmful to both physical and mental health.
The pressure to adopt the latest diet trend or conform to a particular body standard can lead to unhealthy eating habits and increased preoccupation with food, which in turn can worsen body image issues and mental health.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Body Image
It’s not realistic to completely disconnect from social media, but there are steps you can take to minimise its negative impact on your body image and eating habits:
Curate Your Feed: Take control of what you see by following accounts that promote body diversity, self-compassion, and intuitive eating. Mute or unfollow accounts that trigger comparison, body dissatisfaction, or unhealthy eating habits.
Practice Critical Thinking: Be aware that the images you see on social media are often edited, filtered, and staged. Remind yourself that what you’re seeing isn’t reality.
Set Boundaries: Limit the amount of time you spend scrolling on social media. If you notice that certain times of day (like before bed or early in the morning) are especially triggering, try to replace those scrolling habits with something more nurturing, like reading or journalling.
Focus on Function, Not Appearance: Shift your attention from how your body looks to how it feels. Are you conscious of the awesome everyday things your body does that allow you to live your life? Are you moving in ways that bring you joy? These factors are much more important than fitting into a societal ideal of beauty.
Talk to a Professional: If social media is taking a toll on your mental health or body image, it might be helpful to talk to a therapist who specialises in body image or eating disorder recovery.
Taking a More Mindful Approach to Social Media
Social media can be a source of connection, inspiration, and community. But it can also be harmful, particularly when it comes to how we see our bodies and our relationship with food. By setting boundaries, being critical of what we consume, and focusing on body-acceptance or neutral content, we can begin to build a healthier relationship with social media and with ourselves.