Noticing a resurgence of prominent collarbones and super slim appearances? You’re not alone. From celebrities and “SkinnyTok” influencers to friends and family at social gatherings, “thin” seems to be in again.
Body size trends tend to go in cycles, said Emily Hemendinger, MPH, LCSW. As an assistant professor of psychology at CU Anschutz, she is concerned about the resurgence of “skinny” as a societal ideal – a trend she first saw as a teenager in the early 2000s. But cultural movements toward thinness dot history, with flappers in the 1920s, Twiggy in the 1960s and “heroin chic" in the 1990s.
Hemendinger stresses that eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness, second only to opioid addiction. In fact, 30 million Americans, or 9% of the population, will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.
“Most people have at some point in their lives had a negative relationship with food and their bodies,” Hemendinger said. “Not everyone develops an eating disorder, but so many people have a story about the pressures to be thin because it’s so prominent in our society.”
In this Q&A, Hemendinger reflects on trends she’s seeing in her practice and beyond, offering guidance and support.
Key points
Skinny culture is again trending, and the reasons include cultural shifts, social media, celebrity influence and weight-loss medications.
Eating disorders are culturally influenced, and recovery is difficult without broader societal change. Weight is not a moral issue.
People with a history of eating disorders should work with a multidisciplinary care team, including a therapist, before using GLP-1 weight-loss medications.
Doctors can reduce harm by shifting away from weight-based healthcare toward whole-person health indicators.