A new study published Wednesday suggests women who spend time on TikTok are at greater risk of body dissatisfaction, especially if exposed to pro-anorexia content.
Australian researchers surveyed 273 women aged 18 to 28 from July to October 2021 about their TikTok use. Participants were shown “pro-anorexia” images, and even 10 minutes of exposure led to negative body reactions.
“Because disordered eating content is so prevalent on TikTok, we thought users might be somewhat immune, but that wasn’t the case,” said Rachel Hogg, senior lecturer at Charles Sturt University, who conducted the study with Madison Blackburn. The findings align with previous research on the negative impact of social media on body image.
TikTok’s algorithm, which curates content based on user engagement, plays a significant role in exposing users to harmful content. “The algorithm on TikTok is much more influential than the choices of individual users in determining the content they see on their For You page,” Hogg said.
Despite TikTok’s Community Guidelines against promoting disordered eating, users still find ways around censors using slang. TikTok has made algorithm changes to avoid repetitive harmful content, but the study suggests more needs to be done.
Experts call for further research on social media’s impact on eating disorders. “We need more studies to understand the impact of social media on those vulnerable to eating disorders,” said Doreen Marshall, CEO of the National Eating Disorder Association.
