Glorification of content focused on thinness and promotion of false information on nutrition: social networks contribute to the development of eating disorders (EDs) among already vulnerable young people and complicate their treatment.
"We no longer treat an eating disorder without addressing social media. It has become a trigger, a definite accelerator, and an obstacle to recovery," summarizes Carole Copti, a dietitian and nutritionist in Paris.
In France, nearly one million people suffer from anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder, particularly women aged 17 to 25.
While the causes of eating disorders are multifactorial (biological, psychological, social), industry players are increasingly highlighting the "devastating" impact of social networks on these pathologies.
"It's not the cause, but it's the straw that could break the camel's back," Nathalie Godart, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Fondation Santé des Etudiants de France, told AFP.
By promoting thinness, highly controlled diets, and intense physical activity, social media weakens already vulnerable people and "amplifies threats to the health of young people," she adds.
For example, the #skinnytok trend is full of violent, guilt-inducing and dangerous injunctions, encouraging people to drastically reduce their diet.
– Laxatives and vomiting –
For Charlyne Buigues, a nurse specializing in eating disorders, social media is a "gateway" to these disorders, which are "normalized" there.
She denounces the promotion of videos of young girls suffering from anorexia nervosa who expose their malnourished bodies, or others suffering from bulimia nervosa who display their "purges." "Taking laxatives or vomiting are presented as a perfectly legitimate way to lose weight, when the risk is cardiac arrest," recalls Ms. Buigues.
Beyond causing serious problems, particularly heart and fertility problems, eating disorders are the second leading cause of premature death among 15-24 year-olds, according to the French Health Insurance.
For Ms. Copti, social media even forms a "vibration chain." "People suffering from eating disorders often have low self-esteem. But by exposing their thinness caused by anorexia on social media, they will accumulate subscribers, views, likes... and this will perpetuate their problems and prolong the denial phase."
Especially since some content will be monetized. Charlyne Buigues recounts that a young woman who regularly films herself vomiting live on TikTok "explained that she was paid by the platform, which allowed her to finance her shopping."
-"I'm no match for it."-
And even when people engage in a healing process, social media makes the treatment "harder, more complex, and longer," warns Carole Copti.
The cause: false nutritional information that is rife on platforms and that young people take to be true.
"The consultation has become a bit of a trial for me. I have to constantly justify myself and fight to make them understand that no, it's not possible to maintain a diet of only 1,000 calories a day – half of their needs – or that no, it's not normal to skip meals," explains the dietitian-nutritionist.
"Patients are completely indoctrinated, and I'm no match for the hours I spend on TikTok every day, with my 45-minute consultation per week," she sighs.
In the same vein, Nathalie Godart warns of the proliferation of "pseudo-coaches" who share "aberrant" advice, which could be seen as "illegal nutrition practice."
"The words of these influencers carry much more weight than those of institutions. We're constantly struggling to get simple messages across about nutrition," she laments, pointing out that the Anorexia Bulimia Info helpline can be reached at 09.69.325.900.
Very active on social media through her Instagram account @aucoeurdestca, Charlyne Buigues spends her time reporting problematic content even if it “serves no purpose.”
"The content remains online and the accounts are rarely suspended, it's really tiring," she confides.
The nurse thus advises her patients to delete certain social networks, particularly TikTok. "It may seem radical, but as long as young people aren't better informed, the app is too dangerous," she maintains.
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