Research + News | Topic: Body Image

TikTok Promotes Toxic Diet Culture Among Teens, Young Adults

Study authors from the University of Vermont found that the most viewed content on TikTok related to either food, nutrition, or weight largely perpetuates a toxic diet culture among young users. Read the article here.

Weight-Normative Messaging Predominates On TikTok – A Qualitative Content Analysis

Nutrition-related content on TikTok is largely weight normative, and may contribute to disordered eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction in the young people that are TikTok’s predominant users. Read the study here.

How Filtered Social Media Photos Can Affect Body Image

Exploring the link between Instagram photos and body image. Read the article here.

BeReal App Is Instagram’s Next Rival For Teens

BeReal asks users to post one candid unedited photo a day. It can’t be “liked” or shared. There are no algorithms or ads. And teens are increasingly choosing a feed that is intentionally boring. Listen to the report here.

Selfie Distortions Lead To Increase In Nose Job Requests, New Study Finds

Smartphone selfies distort the appearance of facial features, leading to more cosmetic surgery inquiries, researchers say. Read the article here.

What Is ‘Bigorexia’?

A social media diet of perfect bodies is spurring some teenage boys to form muscle dysmorphia. Read the article here.

Social Media Filters Are Changing How Young People See Themselves

This article is part of a series of articles from Teen Vogue exploring how social media impacts mental health. Read the article here.

TikTok Content May Be Promoting An Unhealthy Standard Of Living For Adolescents

Eating disorders among teenagers have been linked more recently to TikTok, as users post content daily consisting of what they eat in a day or the methods they use to lose weight, especially within the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the article here.

What Teen Girls Wish Parents Knew About Instagram

What do teen girls wish grown-ups (particularly their parents) really knew about Instagram? And what advice do they have for kids just starting out on the app? Read the article here.

The Dangerous Experiment On Teen Girls

The preponderance of the evidence suggests that social media is causing real damage to adolescents. Read the article here.