Meri Remes warns of the resurgence of online thinness trends that risk exacerbating body hatred and eating disorders in children, as research links social media exposure to worsening body dissatisfaction.
Meri Remes says she lost much of her youth to dieting, body hatred and an eating disorder, even though she was never overweight. In her commentary for Keski-Suomen Sanomat, she warns that a new thinness craze is resurfacing online and says it fills her with anger because she is raising a young daughter.
Her concern is not just personal. On platforms such as TikTok, trends that glorify extreme thinness have drawn growing scrutiny from health experts. South China Morning Post reported that so-called “SkinnyTok” content can normalise restrictive eating and dangerous diet advice, while pushing vulnerable users towards anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders.
That risk is backed by research. A review published in 2023 and reported by UPI found that exposure to idealised body images on social media may raise the likelihood of eating-disorder symptoms among girls and young women. The study reviewed 50 papers across 17 countries and linked repeated exposure to unrealistic physiques with body dissatisfaction, self-objectification and harmful eating habits.
Earlier research has pointed in the same direction. A study published in the journal Body Image examined “thinspiration”, “fitspiration” and “bonespiration” content and found that social media is crowded with imagery that promotes extreme leanness and unhealthy body ideals. Other reporting, including coverage by The Washington Post and Time, has shown how online trends around the “thigh gap” and even celebrity audio clips can reinforce the idea that disordered eating is glamorous or aspirational.
For Remes, the issue is especially urgent because the pressure reaches children before they have the tools to resist it. Her account of waking in the night hungry, pushing through excessive exercise and feeling distress at photographs of herself reflects the long shadow eating disorders can cast. The broader warning from doctors and researchers is that social media does not merely reflect body anxiety; it can intensify it, and for some young people it can help turn insecurity into illness.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
