It’s not hard to find pro-eating disorder content – and that’s a problem
10 March 2025, 12:00
In today’s world, we encounter an ever-increasing amount of online content daily.
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It’s no secret that some of it is incredibly harmful and can be accessed with just the click of a button. I work for Beat, the UK’s leading eating disorder charity, where we see and hear about the impact of this harmful content every day.
Back in 2022, we conducted a survey where we asked people with lived experience of eating disorders to tell us about their experiences online. 91% of them had encountered content which was harmful in the context of their eating disorder. They reported being ‘bombarded’ with triggering content, imagery and advertisements which could ‘fuel’ eating disorder thoughts and behaviours.
It’s no wonder they feel overwhelmed by the amount of this kind of content – it's everywhere. Far from being hidden away on niche websites and forums (although those do exist), pro-eating disorder content is widely available and actively promoted on every social media platform. Users will share content to promote thinness, restrictive diets and extreme exercise plans.
Read more: LBC Investigates: What a 13-Year-Old Girl Sees on TikTok
People who responded to the survey also voiced concerns about algorithms, which target content at social media users based on their previous online interactions and behaviour. This presents a particular challenge for someone with an eating disorder. They might have accessed pro-eating disorder content while very unwell, so similar content is likely to be shown to them by the algorithm while in recovery.
Bear in mind that content doesn’t have to be created with the intention of being pro-eating disorder to be harmful to those with eating disorders. Diet and fitness videos can also be damaging, especially when users are bombarded by this type of content by the algorithm.
This is how harmful content can affect people who already have eating disorders, but it’s also important to talk about those who don’t. The Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CDCH) recently released a report that showed 1 in 3 videos recommended to a simulated 13-year-old girl’s YouTube account contained harmful eating disorder content.
While online content alone will never be the sole and direct cause of an eating disorder, it can make things worse for those who are already vulnerable to developing one – which is much more common than you might think. Figures from NHS England show 1 in 8 people aged between 17 and 19 had an eating disorder in 2023, up from less than 1% in 2017.
We need to see more action on the issue of harmful content online immediately. While the Online Safety Act made heartening progress, there is more to be done to ensure that harmful content cannot be accessed online. We urge social media companies to take all necessary steps to remove dangerous content from their platforms and make them a safer place for people experiencing eating disorders.
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If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk
Tom Quinn is Director of External Affairs at Beat.
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The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.
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