Health
‘SkinnyTok’ weight-loss trend could lead to food deprivation, experts caution
Social media can be a great source of fitness, nutrition and wellness tips — but it also has some potentially harmful content.
Enter “SkinnyTok,” a popular weight-loss trend making the rounds on TikTok.
Creators are pairing the hashtag with videos that share various ways to lose weight, many of them based on the goal of getting as thin as possible in a short amount of time.
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As of April 26, there were more than 60,000 videos from creators talking about SkinnyTok. One of those is Mandana Zarghami, 25, a business owner and influencer in Miami, Florida.
“What you eat in private will show in public,” Zarghami told her followers in a recent video.
The influencer spoke with Fox News Digital about her perception of the worldwide SkinnyTok trend.
“There’s an emphasis on portion control, prioritizing daily movement and knowing what foods will make you feel better from the inside out and more,” she said.
The creator acknowledged, however, that some of the content could be triggering for those who have battled disordered eating.
Mandana Zarghami, a TikTok creator, acknowledged that some of the SkinnyTok content could be triggering for those who have battled disordered eating. (Mandana Zarghami/TikTok)
“While some content under the SkinnyTok trend can promote motivation around health and wellness, it can also unintentionally glamorize unhealthy habits or unrealistic body standards if you’re following the wrong influencer or content creator,” Zarghami cautioned.
At the same time, she said, “you control what you consume.”
“What you eat in private will show in public.”
“It’s a little hard to be sensitive to each group, because a lot of the people who talk about SkinnyTok on their platforms also battled disordered eating and overcame it with healthy lifestyle choices,” Zarghami added.
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity expert, said he has witnessed the “devastating consequences” of extreme thinness firsthand, including women with fractured bones caused by malnutrition.
“This is a growing crisis, and it is being dangerously celebrated on social media under hashtags like #SkinnyTok,” he told Fox News Digital.
“It’s a little hard to be sensitive to each group, because a lot of the people who talk about SkinnyTok on their platforms also battled disordered eating and overcame it with healthy lifestyle choices,” said influencer Mandana Zarghami (right). (iStock/TikTok-Mandana Zarghami)
“When young people chase after extreme thinness through starvation diets, they invite frailty into their lives. The body, deprived of caloric energy, becomes extremely fragile.”
In teenagers and young adults, malnutrition disrupts hormones, weakens immunity, impairs cognitive function and can cause lasting damage to their still-developing brains, according to Osborn.
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Physical effects of malnutrition can include hair loss, reduced bone density and, in severe cases, irreversible structural damage, he added.
Low body weight or minimal body fat does not equate to good health, the doctor said.
“Starvation is not a virtue – it is an abandonment of the body’s nutritional needs,” he said. “The SkinnyTok trend preys on impressionable youth, particularly young women, encouraging them to shrink rather than thrive.”
Low body weight or minimal body fat does not equate to good health, one doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
Rather than focusing on “extreme thinness,” Osborn called for a focus on building muscle, which he described as the “cornerstone of vitality.”
“In older adults, muscle loss — or sarcopenia — is a medical warning sign linked to increased risks of falls, fractures, hospitalizations, cognitive decline and even mortality,” he cautioned.
“Muscle loss doesn’t just weaken the body — it erodes the mind, hastening the onset and progression of dementia. The body and the brain are interconnected, and when one suffers, so does the other.”
“Muscles are your shield against disease and decline. Being lean and strong, not thin and frail, is the true measure of health,” one doctor said. (iStock)
To those embracing the SkinnyTok trend, Osborn recommends that they shift the focus to building muscle.
“Muscles are your shield against disease and decline. Being lean and strong, not thin and frail, is the true measure of health,” he said.
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“Instead of glorifying starvation, we should teach our youth to nourish their bodies and minds, build resilience through muscle gained by strength training, and prioritize bodily function over any short-lived trend.”
Dr. Jillian Lampert, vice president of The Emily Program, an eating disorder treatment center based in Minnesota, also called out the potential risks of the SkinnyTok trend.
“It is a vicious cycle that quickly spirals from external messaging to internal criticism.”
“This content dangerously glorifies content that encourages people to take drastic measures to change their bodies,” she told Fox News Digital. “It also further ensnares people already struggling with their body image and thoughts of size and shape, reinforcing the notion that being thin at all costs is the norm.”
The behaviors in many of the videos are “often extreme” and highly limit foods or food groups, Lampert noted.
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The algorithms used by social media platforms make the content even more dangerous by amplifying the messages, according to the expert.
“Looking at one TikTok with even some less toxic body image content will teach the algorithms to send you more and more and more until your feed has become an avalanche of toxic content,” Lampert warned.
As people scroll through countless videos of “ideal” bodies and lifestyles, this often leads them to conclude that they’re not thin enough or attractive enough.
“This content dangerously glorifies content that encourages people to take drastic measures to change their bodies,” one expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“Continual assessment of appearance and eating habits can make a person hypercritical and hyper-fixated on perceived flaws, thus fueling the cycle of eating less, which often leads to overeating and overexercising, which often leads to fatigue and loss of control around food,” said Lampert.
“It is a vicious cycle that quickly spirals from external messaging to internal criticism.”
Dr. Anastasia Rairigh, a Tennessee-based family physician and obesity medicine specialist at the virtual health platform PlushCare, warned that extreme weight-loss behaviors can be deadly.
“As a person severely limits their caloric intake, the body struggles to maintain the correct electrolyte balance,” she shared with Fox News Digital.
“When a person’s electrolytes are severely unbalanced, they can experience heart arrythmias or, in severe cases, cardiac arrest. Even if a person does not experience this, severe food deprivation can lead to damage to the heart, bones and brain.”
“Many of us that promote SkinnyTok focus on proper nutrition, walking over 10,000 steps a day and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle,” a creator told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
People who deprive themselves of food may also notice effects on cognition, mood and sleep, Rairigh warned.
“Modeling a healthy attitude toward food is critically important to combating the negative influence of toxic diet culture,” she said, recommending that people focus on food as a source of energy rather than an enemy.
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“Supporting young people to focus on activities and interests outside social media has been shown to be helpful as well,” she said.
“Encourage and facilitate positive activities in the real world as a counter to time spent on social media.”
“Modeling a healthy attitude toward food is critically important to combating the negative influence of toxic diet culture.”
Those who are showing signs of disordered eating should see a doctor, Rairigh advised.
“While disordered eating is deadly, there is hope and treatment. Do not be afraid to reach out for help.”
Zarghami, the TikTok creator, reiterated the importance of setting positive examples on social media.
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“Many of us that promote SkinnyTok focus on proper nutrition, walking over 10,000 steps a day and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle,” she told Fox News Digital.
“It’s so important to approach these trends with balance, focus on overall well-being rather than appearance, and encourage sustainable, nourishing choices that support both physical and mental health.”
Welcome to the Brain Health Challenge! I’m Dana Smith, a reporter at The New York Times, and I’ll be your guide.
To live a healthy life, it’s crucial to have a healthy brain. In the short term, it keeps you sharp and firing on all cylinders. In the long term, it can reduce your risk of cognitive decline, dementia and stroke.
Practicing basic healthy behaviors, like eating nutritious food and getting regular exercise, is the best way to enhance your brain power and protect the longevity of your neurons. These types of lifestyle habits can benefit the brain at any age. And while they won’t guarantee that you’ll never develop dementia or another brain disease, several clinical trials have shown that they can improve cognition or slow decline.
Every day this week, you’ll do an activity that’s good for your brain, and we’ll dig into the science behind why it works. Some of these activities can provide a small immediate cognitive benefit, but the bigger reward comes from engaging in them consistently over time. So along with the neuroscience lessons, we’ll include a few tips to help you turn these actions into lasting habits.
To keep you accountable, we’re encouraging you to complete this challenge with a friend. If you don’t have a challenge buddy, no problem: We’re also turning the comments section into one big support group.
There are so many fascinating ways your daily behaviors affect your brain. Take sleep, for example.
Lots of studies have shown that getting a good night’s rest (seven to eight hours) is associated with better memory and other cognitive abilities. That’s because sleep, especially REM sleep, is when your brain transfers short-term memories — things you learned or experienced during the day — into long-term storage.
Sleep is also when your brain does its daily housekeeping. While you rest, the brain’s glymphatic system kicks into high gear, clearing out abnormal proteins and other molecular garbage, including the protein amyloid, which is a major contributor to Alzheimer’s disease. A buildup of amyloid is one reason experts think that people who routinely get less sleep have a higher risk of dementia.
What other behaviors play a big role in brain health? For today’s activity, we’re going to test your knowledge with a quiz. Share your score with your accountability partner and in the comments below — I’ll be in there too, cheering you on.
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An often-overlooked part of the body may reveal important clues about overall health.
Researchers from the University of Westminster in the U.K. discovered that the shape of the gluteus maximus muscle in the buttocks changes with age, gender, lifestyle and frailty, as well as certain conditions like osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes.
Using advanced MRI scans that create 3D images, researchers revealed “distinct” patterns in the gluteus maximus associated with type 2 diabetes.
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This suggested that the shape of the muscle, rather than the size, may “reflect underlying metabolic differences,” a press release stated.
The findings were presented in December at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago.
Butt shape may indicate underlying health conditions, according to new research. (iStock)
Unlike previous studies looking at muscle size or fat, the 3D imaging identified exactly where the muscle changes occur, according to the researchers.
As one of the largest muscles in the human body, the gluteus maximus “plays a key role” in metabolic health, according to lead study author E. Louise Thomas, Ph.D., professor of metabolic imaging at the University of Westminster’s School of Life Sciences.
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The researchers analyzed more than 61,000 MRI scans from a large UK health database to better understand the muscle’s structure.
The data also included the participants’ physical measurements, demographics, disease biomarkers, medical history and lifestyle habits. The researchers studied how these variables were linked to muscle shape over time.
An infographic from the Radiological Society of North America presentation displays research findings on the shape of the gluteus maximus. (RSNA)
“People with higher fitness, as measured by vigorous physical activity and hand grip strength, had a greater gluteus maximus shape, while aging, frailty and long sitting times were linked to muscle thinning,” study co-author Marjola Thanaj, Ph.D., a senior research fellow at the University of Westminster’s Research Centre for Optimal Health, said in the release.
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The researchers concluded that butt shape changes may indicate an “early functional decline” and “metabolic compromise” in type 2 diabetes patients.
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Men with type 2 diabetes showed muscle shrinkage, while women displayed enlarged muscle, likely due to “infiltration of fat” within it, according to the researchers.
These results suggest that men and women have “very different biological responses to the same disease,” Thanaj suggested.
Butt shape changes may indicate an “early functional decline” and “metabolic compromise” in type 2 diabetes patients. (iStock)
Men who were categorized as “frail” were recognized as having more “general shrinkage” across the gluteus maximus, but women experienced a “limited” frailty effect.
Building strong glutes for better health
Strengthening the glutes is an “investment in long-term health,” according to Tanya Becker, co-founder of Physique 57 in New York City.
“While full-body strength training is essential, focusing on your glutes — the largest muscle group in your body — deserves special attention,” she told Fox News Digital.
“While full-body strength training is essential, focusing on your glutes — the largest muscle group in your body — deserves special attention.” (iStock)
Becker refers to the glutes as the body’s “shock absorbers,” because they protect the lower back, knees and hips from taking on stress they weren’t designed to handle.
Larger muscle groups also burn more calories and help regulate blood sugar, the expert added, noting that muscles are often referred to as the “organ of longevity.”
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Strengthening the glutes also helps to protect the lower back, hips and knees, and also improves posture and balance, reducing the risk of falls and improving mobility.
“People with higher fitness, as measured by vigorous physical activity and hand grip strength, had a greater gluteus maximus shape.”
Becker recommends traditional weighted exercises like squats, lunges and bridges, although they are not suited for everyone, especially older adults with injuries and joint pain.
“Pilates and barre classes offer bodyweight exercises that are ideal for beginners or individuals with physical limitations,” she suggested. “They can be done anytime, anywhere, making them accessible for beginners before progressing to weighted versions.”
Glute bridges (demonstrated above) are a recommended exercise for strengthening those muscles. (iStock)
Becker shared the following three glute exercises that improve hip mobility, stability and overall strength.
No. 1: Quadruped leg lifts (strengthens entire core and glutes)
Start on the hands and knees, engage your core, and lift one leg off the floor (bent or straight). Pulse up and down a few inches for 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat on the other leg.
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No. 2: Clamshells (strengthens gluteus medius)
Lie on your side with knees bent at 90 degrees in front of you. Lift your top knee away from your bottom knee, then lower slowly.
For an increased challenge, lift both feet off the ground while keeping the heels together. Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds per side.
Strong muscles are responsible for maintaining metabolic health, according to Becker. (iStock)
No. 3: Glute bridges (strengthens lower back and glutes)
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet parallel, a few inches from your hips. Engage your abs, and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips toward knee height, then lower.
If you feel pressure in your neck, you’ve lifted too high. Perform for 30 to 60 seconds. Complete three sets with 30-second rests between them.
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Those looking to start a new fitness routine should first consult with a doctor.
Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.
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What if your New Year’s resolution could fit inside a tote bag? Social media users are trying the “analog bag” trend, replacing phones with offline activities.
The trend is widely credited to TikTok creator Sierra Campbell, who posted about her own analog bag — containing a crossword book, portable watercolor set, Polaroid camera, planner and knitting supplies — and encouraged followers to make their own.
Her video prompted many others to share their own versions, with items like magazines, decks of cards, paints, needlepoint and puzzle books.
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“I made a bag of non-digital activities to occupy my hands instead of the phone,” said Campbell, adding that the practice has significantly cut her screen time and filled her life with “creative and communal pursuits that don’t include doom-scrolling.”
“I created the analog bag after learning the only way to change a habit is to replace it with another,” she told Fox News Digital.
Social media users are trying the “analog bag” trend, replacing phones with offline activities like cameras, notebooks and magazines. (Fox News Digital)
The science of healthier habits
Research on habit formation supports the idea of the analog bag, according to Dr. Daniel Amen, a California-based psychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics.
“Your brain is a creature of habit,” Amen said during an interview with Fox News Digital. “Neurons that fire together wire together, meaning that every time you repeat a behavior, whether it’s good or bad, you strengthen the neural pathways that make it easier to do it again.”
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Studies show that habits are automatic responses to specific cues — such as boredom, stress or idle time — that typically deliver some kind of reward, according to the doctor. When no alternative behavior is available, people tend to fall back on the same routine, often without realizing it.
Research suggests that replacing an old habit with a new one tied to the same cue is more effective than trying to suppress the behavior altogether.
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“[When] cutting out coffee — you need to have another drink to grab for, not just quit cold turkey. It’s how the pathways in our brains work,” Campbell said.
By substituting a different routine that still provides stimulation and engagement, people can gradually weaken the original habit and build a new automatic response.
Substituting another activity instead of scrolling on your phone can help quell the impulse to reach for it. (iStock)
“Simply stopping a behavior is very challenging,” Amen said. “Replacing one habit with something that is better for your brain is much easier. That’s how lasting change happens, one step at a time.”
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If alternatives are within arm’s reach, people will be more likely to use them, the doctor said. “Your brain does much better with small, simple actions than big, vague intentions.”
Instead of saying, “I’ll stop scrolling today,” the doctor recommends choosing a small habit you can do in a few moments in specific situations, like knitting 10 rows of a scarf on your commute or reading a few pages of a book while waiting at the doctor’s office.
“If alternatives are within arm’s reach, you’re more likely to use them,” a brain doctor said. “Your brain does much better with small, simple actions than big, vague intentions.” (iStock)
Campbell shared her own examples of how to use an analog bag. At a coffee shop with friends, she said, she might pull out a crossword puzzle and ask others to help with answers when the conversation lulls.
Instead of taking dozens of photos on her phone, she uses an instant camera, which limits shots and encourages more intentional moments.
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In casual outdoor settings, such as a park or winery, she brings a small watercolor set for a quick creative outlet.
“It’s brought so much joy,” Campbell said of the analog bag trend, “seeing how it resonates with so many.”
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