Research + News | Topic: Health

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.

Please Don’t Cook Chicken In NyQuil, The FDA Asks TikTok Users

Cooking chicken in NyQuil cold medicine doesn’t sound very appetizing — and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration wants you to know that it’s definitely not safe, either. Read the article here.

The Twitching Generation

Around the world, doctors have noticed teenage patients reporting the sudden onset of tics. Is this the first illness spread by social media? 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.

Physical Activity Protects Children From The Adverse Effects of Digital Media On Their Weight Later In Adolescence

A recently completed study shows that six hours of leisure-time physical activity per week at the age of 11 reduces the risk of being overweight at 14 years of age associated with heavy use of digital media. Read the article here.

Instagram ‘Pushes Weight-Loss Messages To Teenagers’

Researchers find minimal interactions by teen users can trigger a deluge of thin-body and dieting images. Read the article here.

Your Teen’s Smartphone Could Be Key To Unhealthy Weight

New research out of South Korea shows that teens who spend too much time on their smartphones are also more prone to eating habits that increase their odds for obesity. Read the article here.

Smartphone Use Associated With Unhealthy Eating And Overweight In Teens

Teens who used a smartphone for more than 2 hours per day were significantly more likely to eat more junk food and fewer fruits and vegetables than those spending less time on their phone. Read the article here.

More Children Battling Vision Problems Thanks To Rise In Screen Time During Pandemic

Researchers say the combination of home confinement and too much time looking at digital screens appears to be severely impacting kids’ vision. Read the article here.