De-Influence your Algorithm- How Diet Culture on Social Media is Impacting the Mental Health of its Users and How to Combat it

Social media consumes much of our day-to-day lives and encourages prevalent stereotypes of beauty standards with repeated images of the same ideal of ‘perfection’ circulating these online spaces. As a result of this mass consumption of beauty standards, we are feeling as though we aren’t enough if our appearance doesn’t match what we see online. But this is exactly what we need to be fighting against to de-influence the impact of diet culture in our algorithms and remember that our worth and beauty can’t be defined by social media.

At the end of the day, most online content is curated and mediated to create a façade of perfection that is usually unattainable for its users in order to participate in trends, and for brands and new products to profit from these beauty standards. This curation of false authenticity is why social media is having such a detrimental impact on our well-being and sometimes encourages disordered eating behaviours.

The impact of diet culture on young users

Social media apps like TikTok and Instagram are used by 91% of the UK and US adolescents with over 50% checking these at least once per hour which causes the content consumed on these apps to have an impact on the mental health of these young users. 46% of teens ages 13-17 feel worse about their body image as a result of social media consumption making it necessary to raise awareness and provide uplifting and accepting content regarding body image and self-worth online. Those who spend over 3 hours a day on social media are twice as likely to develop eating disorders than those with less screen time which reveals the importance of strengthening your relationship with your own body image and encouraging more positive online spaces to combat the toxicity of social media content.

Combating toxic diet culture in online spaces

It is apparent how the prevalence of diet culture on social media and the rate we consume platforms like Instagram and TikTok is a key reason for the impact it has on us. Therefore, the best thing that we can do is make these online spaces safer and more positive by creating uplifting communities and posting content that discourages weight and appearance defining our worth.

For each of us, we need to remember our own worth to be more than our appearance and learn to accept that it is okay to not be the ‘perfect’ idea of beauty that we see online. Beauty is a term that society has defined by certain features however, it is much more than that in reality. Trends in authenticity and The Body Positivity Movement are attempting to overcome the toxicity of diet culture on social media platforms however, there is still more to be done.

To encourage the creation of uplifting communities, I am running a campaign called #DeInfluencingDietCulture which aims to share positive content regarding body image and self-worth whilst providing its young, female, student audience with resources and a community to turn to when diet culture on social media is consuming their algorithm and mental health.

In my research survey on Bath Spa University students, I found that young female students felt as though even the body positive movement was promoting only specific larger bodies as beautiful. A hierarchy of perfection in body image was created even in a movement to combat the hierarchy of thinness. So, we need to create online spaces that accept all bodies and focus on our successes and individual stories rather than reinforcing stereotypical beauty standards.

As well as this, another significant step to de-influencing diet culture is the importance of thinking more critically when online.

Critical thinking on social media

1. Watch out for misinformation– advice on wellness, exercise and eating habits on social media tends to come from influencers and brands profiting from these statements rather than being professional, qualified and proven facts.

2. Reassess your algorithm– unfollow, block or report accounts that encourage diet culture or that are impacting your mental health negatively. Instead, follow accounts who are de-influencing diet culture and breaking down stereotypes of beauty.

3. Think twice– why is this content being uploaded? Why might they be promoting this? Is it bias? Is it for profit? There are many reasons a post may be uploaded, and this is important to consider before being influenced by its surface level messaging.

4. Remember your worth– you are beautiful, worthy and loved just as you are. You are more than just a body, and content on social media platforms can’t take that away from you.

5. Remember this self-acceptance and self-love journey is unique to you– due to its prevalence and sharing nature, social media creates a façade and ideal of perfection that only exists online. Your self-love journey is exactly that- your own.

Reminders for when scrolling on social media to de-influence your mind

You are worthy and beautiful despite what you see online. Your size does not define you. The content you consume doesn’t reflect reality and is curated by beauty standards which are unattainable. Social media promotes a façade of ‘perfection’ that is profitable and does not correlate to your own worth and beauty.

If you have enjoyed reading Charlotte’s Blog, we strongly recommend looking at her campaign here and follow the campaign on Instagram here.

About the Author

Charlotte Beattie is a Media Communications 3rd year student at Bath Spa University running a socially driven campaign #DeInfluencingDietCulture to combat toxic diet culture on social media to benefit the wellbeing for Generation Z women and students alike.

Sources:

The Social Media Diet, Alexandra Dane & Komal Bhatia: PLOS Global Public Health

How Does Social Media Affect Eating Disorders? Rebecca Pacun: Eating Recovery Center

Body Positivity: Psychology Today