When “Healthy” becomes “Unhealthy”: The Dangers of Social Media & The Representation of Nutrition Information by Emily Presbrey, MS, RD, LDN
As a Registered Dietitian, I am always learning new information from my clients. Unfortunately, when it comes to nutrition information, much of this information is exaggerated, skewed, or totally inaccurate. It is no secret that misinformation surrounding nutrition has been spread for a very long time, but with social media information this information is being spread at high speed all over the world.
Nutrition myths span a variety of topics. Below are some that come up often in my session space.
MYTH: Detox diets are a healthy way to get rid of the toxins in your body.
Our bodies have a natural detoxifying system- the liver, kidneys, and lungs! Scientific evidence does not support the claim that juice cleanses or detoxes are effective in “detoxing” the body.
MYTH: Certain foods like grapefruit, celery, and cabbage make you lose weight.
Eating specific foods does not directly lead to weight loss
MYTH: Eating less and exercising more will burn more calories.
Eating less decreases your metabolism, burns less calories, and decreases your exercise output.
MYTH: Carbs are bad.
Carbohydrates play an essential role in the body. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and provide our brain with its preferred source of energy.
Why am I so concerned about the increasing prevalence of this misinformation?
So many are taking this skewed, exaggerated, and/or false information as FACT. I have worked with many individuals that have molded their belief system about food and their bodies around this skewed, exaggerated, and/or false information. For some, this plays an integral role in their disordered eating or eating disorders.
“Disordered eating” is a term used to describe a range of irregular eating behaviors that may or may not warrant a diagnosis of a specific eating disorder. It is a descriptive phrase, rather than a diagnosis. Unfortunately, there are a variety of consequences to engaging in disordered eating.
Consequences can include:
Greater risk for an eating disorder
Bone loss
Gastrointestinal disturbances
Electrolyte and fluid imbalances
Low heart rate and blood pressure
Increased anxiety, depression, and social isolation
A form of disordered eating called “orthorexia”, coined in 1988, is an obsession with “proper” or “healthful” eating. Although it is not formally recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, awareness about orthorexia is on the rise. Although being aware of the nutritional quality of the food you eat isn’t a problem in and of itself, people with orthorexia become so fixated on so-called ‘healthy eating’ that they actually damage their own well-being. Nutrition information tossed around on social media elicits fear and can lead to a fixation on eating healthy and many times these myths (or exaggerations) are taken on as hard truths.
How can you identify that “healthy eating” is not so “healthy” any more?
Compulsive checking of ingredients lists and nutritional labels
A high level of concern regarding health/ingredients
Cutting out food group(s)
An inability to eat anything but a narrow group of foods that are deemed “healthy” or “pure”
Unusual interest in the health of what others are eating
Spending hours per day thinking about what food might be served at upcoming events
Showing high levels of distress when “safe” or “healthy” foods aren’t available
Obsessive following of food and “healthy lifestyle” blogs on twitter and instagram
Body image concerns may or may not be present
Without formal diagnostic criteria, it’s difficult to get an estimate on precisely how many people have orthorexia. Studies have shown that many individuals with orthorexia also have obsessive-compulsive disorder, but there is more information needed to determine whether it’s a stand-alone eating disorder, a type of existing eating disorders like anorexia, or a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Acknowledging that nutrition information is easily accessible through social media, I find it important to raise awareness on how to identify myths, exaggerations, and “fad diets”.
Fad diets typically promise rapid weight loss or other health advantages, are time sensitive, and will likely show “before and after” photos.
We are seeing the presence of fad dieting through all social medias. A large sector of social media creates the illusion that everyone is “thinner” and “prettier” than you, fits into smaller clothes, has a thigh gap (or should), or eats less or better than you. The rapid expansion of social media in the daily lives of young women has given disordered eating and eating disorders a new, bigger platform to reach the masses.
By following diet or fitness blogs, social media content, as well as traditional media we gain the perspective that that everyone in the world is striving toward healthy eating or regular excessive exercise. Terms such as “Thinspo” and “Fitspo” are easily found on social media can be held accountable for promoting dangerous dieting and weight loss practices and glorifying anorexia as a lifestyle choice.
You may be wondering, “so what do I do?”
A powerful way to start is recognizing your current beliefs about food and bodies. Consider what comes up for you when you think of “Healthy Eating”, “Ideal Body Weight”, and “Health at Every Size”. This will allow you to walk though and understand your personal weight and food beliefs, and any biases that may exist.
It is also helpful to be able to recognize "red flags” of disordered eating. Do any of the following resonate with you?
Intense fear of weight gain or being “fat”
Loss of menstrual periods
Feeling out of control during a binge or eating beyond the point of comfortable fullness
Avoidance of social activities that involve food
“obsession” around weight loss, exercise, dieting, body image
Purging methods are utilized in attempt for weight loss
self-induced vomiting, laxatives, diet pills
Restrict/Binge Cycle
The misrepresentation of nutrition information and the strong presence of fad dieting information on social media can seriously damage an individual’s relationship with food and body. It can damage self-esteem and body image. It often promotes being “thinner” as a pathway to gaining love, acceptance and respect. If you start to notice the above “red flags” in either yourself or a loved one, reach out for support. Striving to become healthy can become very unhealthy for some and much of the information presented on social media, promotes external changes versus internal changes.
Sustainable changes require us to explore why we eat, how we eat, and who we are as an eater.
If you find that you are struggling with body image, disordered eating or an eating disorder, we can help. Please reach out to Lotus Therapy Group at 708-552-7330.
