October 11, 2024, 9:19 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Counting steps and calories without end: on many social media platforms, influencers declare themselves to be true nutrition experts – based purely on their own experience. What many forget: Everybody has different needs. Influencing your followers with weight loss tips is, therefore, almost pointless due to large generalizations. Nevertheless, many young women, in particular, consume this content. STYLEBOOK asked a nutritionist what she thinks about TikTok diets.
There is currently a lot of commotion surrounding influencer Liv Schmidt – and with good reason. She addresses her past with an eating disorder but still provides radical tips on nutrition and fitness that seem unhealthy, such as walking for hours on end or skipping meals. But what do these kinds of videos do to viewers? Heike Berger, nutritionist at the Berlin-based practice “lebenswert essen” and nutritionist at the German Nutrition Society, tells STYLEBOOK about the challenges social media poses for people with eating disorders in general.
Overview
A consequence of weight loss tips? Frightening studies
“Body positivity” or not – even if more and more people are advocating self-love, a new study shows a frightening trend. The number of hospitalizations associated with eating disorders has been increasing year over year. In 2022, the number of cases of anorexia in Germany was 9,775, according to a Federal Statistical Office study.
Another statistic from Techniker Krankenkasse indicates that approximately 1,263 cases of work incapacity due to eating disorders were reported in 2023 – all by female TK policyholders. An increase can also be seen here. In 2017, there were around 300 fewer cases. This raises the question: what has changed in recent years to increase the visibility of eating disorders?
Negative feelings through shared videos and images
In general, the new role of social media, especially platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, is seen as a driver for this condition. Social media is filled with limitless content, some of which can act as so-called triggers. This means that for some people, the consumption of specific images, videos, and texts evokes unpredictable emotions. The term ‘trigger’ carries negative connotations – it refers to an encounter with feelings that are typically unwanted and often suppressed.
“For people with eating disorders, many things can be a trigger, but of course, mainly statements about body image and eating behavior that don’t conform to the norm,” explains Heike Berger. In other words, people who have an eating disorder and consume such content because it is part of their algorithm can be negatively influenced by it.
“Social media definitely has an influence on eating behavior
However, it is not only people who actively suffer from an eating disorder who can be triggered by videos. According to Heike Berger, young people who use such platforms and are on the way to developing an eating disorder also often look at sites that “support” disordered eating behavior.
“TikTok and other social media platforms definitely have an influence on young people and their eating behavior. And not necessarily in a positive way,” explains the nutritionist. There is a dangerously fine line between inspiring recipe videos and clinically unhealthy content.
If you suffer from an eating disorder or suspect that you do, you should seek professional advice. You can contact the free advice hotline of the Federal Center for Health Education.
"Tradwife" trend Traditional roles make people unhappy in the long term, according to new study
New research results Study proves that emotional stress can affect menstruation
Women's health What do hormones actually do in the female body?
Weight loss tips not sufficiently reflected
Berger highlights the problem with sharing nutrition tips and food photos on these platforms. “Whether they meet the needs of young people, for example, is not reflected upon. And of course, the photos don’t have to represent the truth,” she says. This is yet another reminder that social media gives you the opportunity to curate your life with a specific impact goal.
Alarm bells should ring not only for extreme dieters but also for influencers who promote extreme amounts of exercise. STYLEBOOK checked: In general, a high urge to exercise can be part of an eating disorder, says Heike Berger. Those affected would go for several hours of fast walking, do a lot of exercise, and stand or sit with muscle tension.
Her advice: If you see these topics on your feed, you have the option to hide them using a feature.