Understanding SkinnyTok: The Dangers of TikTok Trends

Spend enough time on TikTok, and you’ll quickly learn it’s more than just dances and funny skits. It’s where teens and adults alike get fashion inspiration, watch what others eat in a day and, if you land on the wrong side of the algorithm, stumble into a corner of the app that’s quietly fueling eating disorders.

Welcome to SkinnyTok, a trending rabbit hole that glorifies thinness and restrictive eating, often under the guise of “wellness” or “body goals.” While it might seem subtle or harmless at first, it’s far from it. If you’re a parent, educator, therapist, or someone working through your own body image journey, this is something you need to know about.

What Exactly Is SkinnyTok?

"SkinnyTok" isn’t an official hashtag (and TikTok bans many terms related to eating disorders), but it’s a niche, algorithm-driven world that feeds users content promoting thinness as the ultimate goal.

It includes:

• “What I eat in a day” videos featuring alarmingly low-calorie meals

• Body check videos—quick flashes of bodies meant to highlight ribs, thigh gaps, or flat stomachs

• “Motivational” quotes that might sound inspirational but are rooted in shame and restriction

• “Glow up” transformations that focus solely on weight loss and appearance

You don’t have to go looking for it. If you’ve interacted with just a few fitness, health, or diet-related videos, TikTok’s algorithm may start pushing this content to your feed, especially for young girls and teens.

Why It’s So Dangerous

The teen years are already loaded with pressure. Pressure to look a certain way, fit in, and measure up. When TikTok starts serving up content that equates being thin with being worthy, successful, or attractive, that pressure intensifies.

Here’s what we’re seeing:

Increased body dissatisfaction
Scrolling through videos of impossibly small bodies can make anyone question their own. For teens who are still developing physically and emotionally, this can be deeply damaging.

The normalization of disordered eating
When restrictive eating, skipping meals, or counting every bite is presented as “health,” it blurs the line between wellness and harm.

Rising rates of eating disorders
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), social media use has been linked to a higher risk of developing eating disorders, especially in young people.

How to Spot the Signs

Whether you’re concerned about yourself or someone you care about, here are some red flags that SkinnyTok, or diet culture in general, might be influencing behavior:

• Constant comparison to influencers or TikTok creators

• Cutting out entire food groups without a medical reason

• Talking about being “good” or “bad” based on what they eat

• Avoiding meals with others or eating only in secret

• Obsession with body checking, calorie counting, or weight

What You Can Do About It

It can feel overwhelming, especially as TikTok’s algorithm can be relentless, but there are ways to take back control.

Talk about it
Create a safe space to talk openly about body image and mental health. Ask what kind of content your teen (or you) are seeing online. Listen without judgment.

Curate your feed
TikTok will keep showing you what you interact with. Start following body-positive or body-neutral creators who promote self-acceptance and recovery. Block or “not interested” the rest.

Teach media literacy
Help young people understand that social media is curated. People use filters, pose strategically, and don’t show the full picture.

Know when to get help
If you’re noticing signs of disordered eating, anxiety around food, or obsessive thoughts about body image, don’t wait. Reach out to a therapist or specialist. You can also explore organizations like NEDA and Nourisesh for free support resources.

Final Thoughts: We Can’t Ignore This

SkinnyTok isn’t a harmless internet trend. It’s a digital echo of toxic beauty standards we thought we’d left behind. It’s sneaky, seductive, and spreading fast among teens who are just trying to figure out who they are.

If you’re struggling with body image or food right now, know this: you are not broken. You are not alone. And you don’t have to fight this by yourself.

There is a healthier way forward, and it doesn’t involve chasing a number on the scale. If you're ready to take that step—or help someone else do the same—I’m here to walk alongside you.