Scroll. Like. Repeat. For many teenagers, social media has become the lens through which they measure self-worth — and for some, that exposure can be dangerous. This post weaves in the latest statistics and peer-reviewed findings about how social media influences eating disorders, reveals why CBT-E remains the clinically recognized gold standard in treatment, and provides what signs to watch for and what steps to take.
Social media platforms subject teens to curated images, diet-culture narratives, and algorithm-driven content that reinforces engagement — often reinforcing harmful norms.
Adolescents are still shaping their identity and self-esteem. Frequent exposure to edited bodies on Instagram and TikTok can increase comparison and internalization of thin or muscular ideals (Dane & Bhatia, 2023; Dahlgren et al., 2024). Vulnerable teens, especially those with pre-existing body dissatisfaction or higher BMI, are particularly at risk (Dane & Bhatia, 2023).
Platforms prioritize content that garners engagement — often sensational or appearance-focused posts — over moderating trends like “#SkinnyTok,” which was recently banned due to its association with disordered-eating promotion.
A scoping review of 50 studies across 17 countries found that social media usage is plausibly linked to body-image concerns and disordered eating, mediated by social comparison, internalization of idealized body types, and self-objectification (Dane & Bhatia, 2023).
In a cross-sectional study of over 1,500 Norwegian teens, 25% reported using social media for four hours or more daily; 80% of girls said these platforms negatively influenced their body image, and that appearance pressure was strongly associated with disordered eating symptoms (Dahlgren et al., 2024).
In another youth sample in Pakistan, 42% were probable cases of eating disorders and 41.7% had social media addiction — with a significant positive correlation between the two (Mushtaq et al., 2023).
Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E) is tailored to address the thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs that maintain eating disorders — including perfectionistic body ideals and rigid food rules.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends CBT-E for adolescents when family-based therapy is ineffective, contraindicated, or unavailable (Dalle Grave & Calugi, 2024). Research shows CBT-E matches family-based therapy outcomes at follow-up and achieves strong remission rates (Dalle Grave & Calugi, 2024).
Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E) is tailored to address the thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs that maintain eating disorders — including perfectionistic body ideals and rigid food rules.
Outpatient CBT-E achieves around 80% normal-weight recovery at 12 months for adolescents with anorexia (Dalle Grave & Calugi, 2024). It’s promising even for non-underweight teens and offers comparable symptom reduction for those who did not fully recover with family-based therapy.
If your teen is showing signs of restrictive or compulsive eating, purging, or extreme exercise, start with a medical or psychological assessment.
A fully-integrated treatment plan often includes medical monitoring, nutritional guidance, and psychological therapy — and for many teens, CBT-E is central to recovery.
Social media isn’t inherently harmful, but awareness, literacy, and early intervention are your best tools. With the right support, many teens recover fully.
If you’re a parent or teen concerned about what you’re noticing, I’m here to support you. I offer compassionate, trauma-informed consultations and can help connect you with evidence-based treatment, including CBT-E referrals. Book a confidential consultation to explore your next steps — you don’t have to face this alone.
Dalle Grave, R., & Calugi, S. (2024). Enhanced cognitive behaviour therapy for adolescents with eating disorders: Development, effectiveness, and future challenges. BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 18, Article 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-024-00315-7
Dane, A., & Bhatia, K. (2023). The social media diet: A scoping review to investigate the association between social media, body image and eating disorders amongst young people. PLOS Global Public Health, 3(3), e0001091. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001091
Dahlgren, C. L., Sundgot‐Borgen, C., Kvalem, I. L., Wennersberg, A.‐L., & Wisting, L. (2024). Further evidence of the association between social media use, eating disorder pathology and appearance ideals and pressure: A cross‐sectional study in Norwegian adolescents. Journal of Eating Disorders, 12, Article 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-024-00992-3
Mushtaq, T., Ashraf, S., Hameed, H., Irfan, A., Shahid, M., Kanwal, R., Aslam, M. A., Shahid, H., & Khan-Niazi, A. (2023). Prevalence of eating disorders and their association with social media addiction among youths. Nutrients, 15(21), 4687. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15214687
