Last Updated on May 14, 2025 | Published: May 14, 2025 published by Jenny Tomei
More and more young people are being exposed to harmful trends on social media and one of the most dangerous right now is called SkinnyTok. These videos may look harmless at first, but they often encourage disordered eating, promote extreme weight loss, and damage teen body image.
What is ‘SkinnyTok’?
#SkinnyTok is a part of TikTok where videos focus on extreme thinness, low-calorie eating, and unrealistic body standards.
These videos often include:
- “What I eat in a day” clips with barely any food
- Body transformation posts focused on weight loss
- “Fitness” content that’s actually about shrinking the body
- Tips on eating less, skipping meals, or hiding hunger
While these videos might appear as “health” or “discipline,” they can be very harmful and often promote disordered eating behaviours. It often sends the message that being thin is the most important goal, and that eating less means you’re doing something right, which is not true.
SkinnyTok normalises disordered eating and fuels body dissatisfaction, especially in young people who are still growing, changing, and learning how to feel confident in their own skin.
Why is this trend dangerous?
What makes the SkinnyTok trend so dangerous is how quickly it can impact a young person’s relationship with food, body image, and self-worth, often without them realising it. These videos can quietly lead to disordered eating behaviours, encouraging students to eat less, feel guilty about food, or constantly compare themselves to others online. The content is often edited to look perfect and receive lots of impressions, making it harder for young people to recognise the harm. Over time, this kind of social media pressure can increase anxiety, lower self-esteem, and raise the risk of developing eating disorders or other body image issues.
How Is It Influencing Young People?
The TikTok algorithm is designed to keep users watching, and that means the more a young person watches SkinnyTok content, the more similar videos they’ll see. Even if they ONLY VIEW one or two out of curiosity, their feed can quickly become filled with harmful messages about food, weight, and appearance. This content is often shared privately between friends or in group chats, making it harder for schools or parents to see what’s really being circulated.
What can parents and teachers do?
If you’re worried about the impact of SkinnyTok, start by having an honest chat with your child or student. Ask if they’ve come across videos like that and how it made them feel, you don’t need to have all the answers, but listening without judging can make a huge difference. If they mention feeling triggered or uncomfortable by what they’re seeing, remind them they can press “Not Interested” to help remove similar content from their feed. They can also report harmful videos on the platform. They probably already know how it works, but encouraging that small action can help them feel more in control.
If you start to notice changes like skipping meals, low mood, or becoming more withdrawn, try checking in with them privately to see how they’re feeling. If you’re a teacher, pass on any concerns to your school’s safeguarding lead or head of year. If you’re a parent, speak to the school if needed or consider reaching out to an eating disorder counsellor for guidance on next steps.
Useful links
https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/skinny-tok-eating-disorder-children-n90xm2fmc
