Health

‘Stop rewarding yourself with food, you’re not a dog’: the #SkinnyTok trend raising fears over body image

It’s a Tuesday night, and I’m indulging in my cherished evening treat. Cadbury Snack bar in hand, I’m watching TV while scrolling on my phone. I open TikTok, knowing I’ll get lost in the noise of content within seconds. Just as the sugary delectability reaches my mouth, a video pops up. It’s a young girl, mid-20s at most. She’s slim and quite obviously fit, with toned arms and a sculpted midriff. Her page is dedicated to ‘skinny girl habits’.

As she embarked on a health kick, Édaein O’Connell soon found her social media feeds flooded with posts promoting ‘skinny girl’ habits. She hears from experts how such content threatens vulnerable minds Increased pressure on body image: ‘Social comparison is a lot more intense now because it’s peer-to-peer, rather than celebrity-to-layperson’ It’s a Tuesday night, and I’m indulging in my cherished evening treat. Cadbury Snack bar in hand, I’m watching TV while scrolling on my phone.

I open TikTok, knowing I’ll get lost in the noise of content within seconds. Just as the sugary delectability reaches my mouth, a video pops up. It’s a young girl, mid-20s at most.

She’s slim and quite obviously fit, with toned arms and a sculpted midriff. Her page is dedicated to ‘skinny girl habits’. I’m accustomed to seeing these clips, as I’m on a health kick.

Once TikTok caught wind of this, the body-conscious content has been in full flow..