'Skinnytok' ban too late, says woman who deleted app for health
A woman who struggled with anorexia said she had to delete TikTok to protect her health after "skinnytok" flooded her feed with "damaging" weight loss advice. If you have not heard of it, "skinnytok" is a controversial side of social media where people promote weight loss tips focused on restrictive eating with the aim of being "skinny". TikTok recently blocked the search for the term but Eve Jones, 23, from Cardiff, said, despite it being a step in the right direction, it "scratches the surface" on a larger issue - which people can find a way around.TikTok said it continued to restrict videos and blocked the search as it became linked to unhealthy weight loss content.
Despite the ban, many videos promoting "skinnytok" which do not use the hashtag are still available on the app. As someone who has been in and out of hospital since the age of 13, Eve said the search ban was "too late" as the messaging is already out there.
Eve has removed herself from the platform as she said users promoted "detrimental and disordered" eating and she was worried about the impact it is having on younger people."It's almost a compulsion to watch it. There is a self-damaging part of eating disorders where you try to access this," Eve said."Once you interact with one post like that, your feed is flooded with it so quickly."Letter accents and numbers can also be used to disguise damaging hashtags, Eve said, so content was still "very easy" to access."I'm lucky to be in a position where I have had my treatment and I how to avoid my triggers, but people on the other side of this won't be aware of that."
The trend has seen a resurfacing of diet culture compared to that of the 2000's, with supermodel Kate Moss's "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" frequently quoted as a source of inspiration.Other controversial quotes include: "You're not a dog, you don't deserve a treat."Eve said she blocked certain words from her social media feeds, including TikTok and X, but the videos still appeared. Many users insist people should avoid consuming the content if it is harmful, Eve said, or come off social media, but she argues it is not that simple. "Anyone who is actively searching 'skinnytok' is either not going to recognise what they are doing is unhealthy, or they are not going to seek help about it," she said. The word skinny has become a buzz word online, Eve said, with many promoting extreme weight loss under the guise of having "healthy" self control and willpower. "There is a lot of denial in having an eating disorder" Eve said, adding that people often were not aware the content is damaging. Her anorexia spiralled from clean eating she believed was healthy.
"The videos are encouraging people to take up habits I spent the last seven years trying to overcome," she added."I don't know if I have a friend who hasn't struggled with their food at some point, even if it's not a diagnosed eating disorder, it's affecting a lot of girls on social media. "I personally don't think anyone needs to know what someone eats in a day, it's a comparative thing."Eating disorder charity Beat surveyed people with eating disorders in 2022 about their experiences online and 91% of respondents said they had encountered harmful content which could fuel eating disorder thoughts and behaviours.In 2024, popular TikTok user Liv Schmidt was banned from the platform over her controversial weight loss posts, with many viewers reporting her account for "triggering" language. Known for "what I eat in a day" and "skinny girl essential" suggestions, Ms Schmidt was accused of "rage baiting" to boost her profile views.
Tilly Short, 21, from Cardiff University, champions body positivity but said it was concerning as a lot of teenagers relied on social media for information. There is a constant pressure online, Tilly said, and despite trying to adjust the way she interacts with content so it does not appear on her feed, she said it was "almost impossible" to avoid. "You should take everything you see on social media with a pinch of salt. A lot of content creators are not qualified, they are not health professionals."
Research from University College of London found people aged 10-24 who used social media sites were potentially at risk of developing image concerns, eating disorders and poor mental health. Alexandra Dane, lead researcher, said social media platforms enabled young people to constantly compare their appearance to others, which can "encourage young people to view themselves as objects that should be judged based on their appearance". Ms Dane described it as an "emerging global public health issue" and called for more recognition, funding and research to ensure the education and early identification of at-risk individuals.
Tom Quinn, a spokesman for eating disorder charity Beat, welcomed the ban of the "skinnytok" but said TikTok and other social media platforms "must now take steps to ensure their platforms are free of all harmful content". Mr Quinn said people would often find workarounds to content blocks and there will still be damaging content that is not under the hashtag. "While social media will never be the sole and direct cause of an eating disorder, we know it can make things worse for those already at risk," he said. "It's important to note that some people who create this kind of content may be unwell themselves, so it isn't intended maliciously."
TikTok said the platform offered a number of well-being resources as well as "strict rules against body shaming and dangerous weight loss behaviours".It added: "The platform regularly reviews its safety measures to address evolving risks."We continue to restrict videos from teen accounts and provide health experts and information in TikTok Search."If you or anyone you know have been affected by any of the themes raised in this article, help and support is available on BBC Action Line
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
21 minutes ago
- The Independent
Nearly 600 heat-related deaths expected in UK heatwave, researchers estimate
Nearly 600 people in England and Wales are predicted to die as a result of this week's heatwave, researchers have found. Experts at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Imperial College London used decades of UK data to predict excess mortality during the hot temperatures from Thursday to Sunday. Their study, released on Saturday, forecasts that around 570 people will die because of the heat over the four days. The excess deaths are estimated to peak at 266 on Saturday when the heat will be at its most intense. London is predicted to have the greatest number of excess deaths with 129. The researchers said their assessment highlights how extreme heat poses a growing threat to public health in the UK. It follows a World Weather Attribution (WWA) research group study published on Friday which found the heatwave has been made about 100 times more likely and 2-4C hotter due to climate change. Dr Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, lecturer at the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, said: 'Heatwaves are silent killers – people who lose their lives in them typically have pre-existing health conditions and rarely have heat listed as a contributing cause of death. 'This real-time analysis reveals the hidden toll of heatwaves and we want it to help raise the alarm. 'Heatwaves are an underappreciated threat in the UK and they're becoming more dangerous with climate change.' Dr Konstantinoudis warned that people should follow heat-health advice this weekend and check on older people, particularly those living alone. Temperatures had been forecast to hit 32C across the South East on Saturday and had already reached that level on Thursday in London. The UK Health Security Agency issued an amber heat-health alert covering all of England to warn vulnerable populations of the health risks, including 'a rise in deaths'. Dozens of people required treatment for heat-related illness at Royal Ascot on Thursday. The researchers used findings from published research on the relationship between heat and the number of daily deaths, regardless of the cause, in 34,753 areas of England and Wales. They combined these with high-resolution weather forecasts from the Copernicus climate change service to estimate how many heat-related deaths will occur. They estimated that 114 excess deaths would have occurred on Thursday, 152 on Friday, 266 on Saturday and 37 deaths on Sunday, when temperatures will fall to the mid-20s. People above 65 are expected to be hardest hit, with 488 of the estimated excess deaths, the report said. But the experts also warn that heat can be life-threatening for all ages, with 82 deaths estimated for people aged under 65. They also note that the analysis does not account for the effect of the heatwave occurring early in summer before people are acclimatised to hot temperatures, meaning deaths could be underestimated. A recent report by the UK Climate Change Committee estimated that heat-related deaths could rise to more than 10,000 in an average year by 2050 if fossil fuel burning causes warming to reach 2C. UN scientists warned this week that the world is in 'crunch time' to limit warming and has three years left to prevent global average temperature rises exceeding 1.5C. Professor Antonio Gasparrini, of the LSHTM, said: 'Increases of just a degree or two can be the difference between life and death. 'Every fraction of a degree of warming will cause more hospital admissions and heat deaths, putting more strain on the NHS.' Dr Malcolm Mistry, assistant professor at the LSHTM, said: 'Exposure to temperatures in the high 20s or low 30s may not seem dangerous, but they can be fatal, particularly for people aged over 65, infants, pregnant people and those with pre-existing health conditions. 'Unless effective mitigation and adaptive measures are put in place in the coming years, the risk of large heat-related death events is set to increase in the UK – we have a large ageing population and warming is expected to increase to 2C by 2050 and as high as 3C this century.' Dr Lorna Powell, an NHS urgent care doctor in east London who was not involved in the study, said: 'We are seeing cases of heat-related illnesses rising in our urgent care departments. 'Heat exhaustion can quickly trigger more serious illnesses as dehydration sets in and the cardiovascular system becomes overwhelmed.'
Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Every newborn baby in the UK will have DNA screening in NHS 'revolution' to battle killer diseases, Wes Streeting reveals
Every newborn baby in the UK will have a DNA screening as part of an NHS 'revolution' to battle killer diseases. The health secretary Wes Streeting said new technology in areas such as genomics would help 'leapfrog' illnesses. The Government is set to pour £650 million into DNA technology in an effort to treat serious illnesses before they become a problem. The investment in genomics is expected to support the Government's 10-year plan for the NHS, which will see a greater focus on technology and prevention. Mr Streeting told The Telegraph: 'The revolution in medical science means that we can transform the NHS over the coming decade, from a service which diagnoses and treats ill health to one that predicts and prevents it. 'Genomics presents us with the opportunity to leapfrog disease, so we're in front of it rather than reacting to it.' Mr Streeting has previously spoken about his desire to make the NHS more preventative, reducing rates of serious illness and saving money in the process. The plan is also likely to see a greater role for artificial intelligence and other technologies to predict illness and allow treatment or medication to be offered much earlier. Mr Streeting has previously spoken about his desire to make the NHS more preventative, reducing rates of serious illness and saving money in the process. The plan is also likely to see a greater role for artificial intelligence and other technologies to predict illness and allow treatment or medication to be offered much earlier. He added: 'With the power of this new technology, patients will be able to receive personalised healthcare to prevent ill health before symptoms begin, reducing the pressure on NHS services and helping people live longer, healthier lives.' Along with a greater focus on prevention, the Government's 10-year plan is expected to include Mr Streeting's two other 'shifts' in the NHS. That will see a shift away from hospitals towards more community-focused care, and from analogue to digital services. It follows Chancellor Rachel Reeves' announcement that the Government would increase NHS funding by £29 billion per year in real terms over the next three years as it tries to cut waiting lists in line with its election promises.
The Independent
32 minutes ago
- The Independent
Weight loss jab could be used to treat migraines
Weight loss jabs could cut the number of migraines sufferers experience by half, research suggests. The drugs, similar to Ozempic and Wegovy, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, work by mimicking the natural hormone which regulates blood sugar, appetite and digestion. Researchers have discovered, GLP-1 drug liraglutide, commonly used to treat diabetes, has the potential to significantly reduce migraine frequency. Migraines affect approximately 6 million people in the UK, according to the NHS. Attacks can last for three days causing pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and sensitivity to light, sound and smells. Researchers at the Headache Centre of the University of Naples gave 26 adults with obesity and chronic migraines the drug liraglutide. The study presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025, found those who had the drug reported an average of 11 fewer headache days per month. Participants also experienced meaningful improvements in quality of life, work, study, and social functioning within just two weeks of taking the drug. 'Most patients felt better within the first two weeks and reported quality of life improved significantly', said lead researcher Dr Simone Braca. 'The benefit lasted for the full three-month observation period, even though weight loss was modest and statistically non-significant.' Growing evidence has linked subtle increases in intracranial pressure to migraine attacks. It's caused by a rise in the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid – which surrounds the brain and spinal cord. This increase in pressure can happen because of a severe head injury, stroke, a brain tumour or high blood pressure. But GLP-1-receptor agonists such as liraglutide reduce cerebrospinal fluid secretion and have already proved effective in treating idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Patients in the study were screened to exclude papilledema (optic disc swelling resulting from increased intracranial pressure) and sixth nerve palsy, ruling out IIH. Dr Braca and colleagues believe GLP-1 drugs may reduce the release of CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide), a key molecule behind migraines. 'We think that, by modulating cerebrospinal fluid pressure and reducing intracranial venous sinuses compression, these drugs produce a decrease in the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key migraine-promoting peptide', Dr Braca said. 'That would pose intracranial pressure control as a brand-new, pharmacologically targetable pathway.' Given liraglutide's established use in type 2 diabetes and obesity, it may represent a promising case of drug repurposing in neurology, study authors said.
