Gen Z: Growing Up on a Social Media Diet

For decades, the media’s obsession with appearances, fitness trends, fad diets, and the thin ideal has made it a significant trigger for body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders. With each new generation becoming more ‘online’ than the last, and the rise of new social media platforms, it’s not surprising that eating disorders continue to plague young people. 

Rise In Mental Health Issues

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has also played a major role in exacerbating disordered eating among Gen Z. “Between the isolation, anxiety-provoking news, constant use of social media and peer pressure to be on social media, this generation is in a perpetual state of comparisons to others and routinely exposed to false narratives, enhanced and filtered images, and negative media cycles,” Kindful Body therapist Jody Green says of her Gen Z clients.

The rise in co-occurring mental health issues like anxiety and depression during the pandemic directly impacted young people with pre-existing disordered behaviors like dieting. While many turned to hobbies to cope with the unprecedented times, others took on projects of self-improvement that led to restrictive “clean eating” and overexercising. 

Social Media is Flooding Young Minds With Harmful Content

Thanks to TikTok’s exploding popularity, Gen Z was introduced to a new crop of health and wellness influencers who peddled diet products and unsound health advice. Many of these creators claim to be health and nutrition “experts” despite having zero medical credentials.

“I’ve seen themes of orthorexia [among my clients] and some of Gen Z clients look to pro-anorexia Instagram accounts for ‘tips,’” Jody explained.

Orthorexia involves cutting out major food groups, which can lead to severe malnourishment, and consequently, death. 

But social media isn’t all gloom and doom for Gen Z. In some ways, social media has also made Gen Z less susceptible to blatant fad diets and disordered eating trends. Many twenty-somethings have been exposed to body positivity and body neutrality movements and can recognize the harms of diet culture. 

In fact, a viral TikTok of Gwyneth Paltrow explaining her bizarre eating habits was largely ridiculed among the Gen Z crowd, who immediately flagged her food choices as restrictive and disordered.

There’s even a trend of Gen Z TikTokers exposing the disordered eating habits of their mothers, labeling them “almond moms.” 

Still, eating disorders maintain their prevalence by preying on those who haven’t had anti-diet nutrition education and showing up in shiny new packaging. Companies and fitness apps push ‘new’ ways of eating and living that are “health-focused” and “not diets,” and social media continues to glamorize undereating.  

Get Help Today

Despite a growing societal emphasis on body acceptance, weight stigma and fatphobia still make it impossible for people to ignore the pressure to be thin. But this pressure doesn’t have to control your life. Kindful Body’s team of therapists and dietitians provide Gen Z clients in California with virtual support for body image struggles and disordered eating. When you’re ready, we are here to help you with your eating disorder recovery. We also offer eating disorder treatment in Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland/Berkeley, Walnut Creek, San Mateo, Orange County, CA, or anywhere online in California. Learn more about us by checking out our blog and FAQs page!