Fighting Addiction in All its Forms
Last month 14 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against TikTok. The charge? The short-form video platform is “designed to be addictive to kids and harm their mental health.” According to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, “They’ve chosen profit over the health and safety, well-being and future of our children. And that is not something we can accept. So, we’ve sued.” Interesting. It is time we start looking at what our children consume. And that includes all types of products. We are long overdue.
Managing screen time is a thorny problem, and I admit I spend an unhealthy amount of time down the social media rabbit hole these days. I wouldn’t recommend it, but it is the method of choice for small non-profits like PBNM. For better and worse, social media is how we reach a global audience who may have yet to hear about the benefits of plant-based eating patterns.
On the positive side, we can shout from the rooftops of the World Wide Web that plants are good, reliable, real food for all ages and demographics. We can highlight solid evidence-based science that shows whole food plant-based eating patterns help prevent and reverse disease. We can teach children to appreciate their role in protecting other species and the earth and minimize the suffering of all species. All from the comfort of our desktops (or mobile devices if you are good).
However, even with our best efforts, social media platforms are notoriously challenging places where people literally write anything, mixing their versions of truth and not-quite reality with cherry-picked facts and a religious ferocity not commonly seen in face-to-face interactions. People who know next to nothing about a subject suddenly become prophets bringing the gospel straight from whoever they deem a higher power (or maybe they just make it up if it is easier). My gosh, it is exhausting!
For children up to the age of 18 and beyond, it is a confusing world to walk in.
The Conflicting Messages Kids Get About Food and Body Image on Social Media
On screens, kids are constantly exposed to a whirlwind of information. Through social media memes, viral trends, and influencer posts, there are also confusing and often harmful messages about food and body image. While platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube can offer positive content, they also foster an environment where unrealistic beauty standards and extreme diets dominate, often leaving viewers conflicted, anxious, and unsure about their own bodies. This is particularly true for children.
Conflicting Messages About Food
One of the main issues kids face on social media is the contradictory messages surrounding food. On the one hand, seemingly knowledgeable influencers and experts promote unhealthy junk food, “cheat day” indulgences, mukbangs (eating large amounts of food on camera), and food challenges. On the other hand, the same platforms promote fad diets, restrictive eating habits, and unrealistic expectations for rapid weight loss and disease management. Very little of this information supports healthy food choices or eating patterns. To make matters worse, we assume that the individuals making the posts are giving facts when, often, they are providing their uneducated opinions for clickbait. Sometimes, online personalities are even paid to give false information!
Obviously, this duality creates confusion which is almost impossible for kids to make sense of. Should they eat for enjoyment and participate in popular food trends, or should they be counting calories and feeling guilty about every meal? Or should they do a hot pepper and cinnamon challenge for a charitable cause? Such mixed messages can foster unhealthy and distorted relationships with food, potentially leading to disordered eating patterns.
Unrealistic Body Standards
Social media personalities often promote body types that are either unattainable or only achievable through extreme measures. Filters, photo editing apps, and even plastic surgery are frequently used to create a “perfect” look that doesn’t exist. Kids, whose brains are still developing, may absorb these altered images as ideals to strive for, even though they’re not achievable through healthy means.
For young boys, the pressure to have a muscular physique can push them toward over-exercising or unhealthy levels of protein consumption, while young girls might feel the need to slim down to fit an unrealistic body shape. This can lead to body dissatisfaction, which is linked to a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
The Role of Screen Time
Another factor contributing to body image issues and unhealthy food relationships is the amount of time kids spend watching screens. The more they are exposed to these distorted views of health and beauty, the more likely they will internalize them. Excessive screen time can also contribute to sedentary behavior, which might worsen issues related to weight and mental well-being.
Limiting screen time effectively reduces kids’ exposure to harmful content while encouraging them to engage in activities and/or sleep, promoting physical and emotional health. By setting healthy screen time boundaries, parents can help kids disconnect from the pressures of social media and reconnect with healthier habits in the real world.
Offering Whole Plant Foods to Combat Weight Issues, Anxiety, and Depression
One way to counteract the negative impact of social media is by consistently offering whole plant-based foods at home. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and nuts has been shown to benefit both physical and mental health.
Whole plant foods provide essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, which promote a healthy gut and boost brain health. Research has shown that a diet focused on whole, minimally processed foods can help prevent weight gain, improve mood, and reduce the risk of anxiety and depression. This is particularly important for kids who are still growing and need a balanced, nutrient-rich diet to support their physical, emotional, and mental development.
Parents can create an environment that fosters a positive relationship with food by modeling healthy eating habits and encouraging kids to enjoy plant-based meals. When combined with limiting social media exposure, encouraging physical activity, and adequate sleep, this approach can help protect kids from the unhealthy messages about food and body image that they often encounter online.
Creating a Healthier Narrative for Kids
Parents, educators, and caregivers play a critical role in helping kids navigate the confusing messages they receive on social media. By promoting a healthy, balanced lifestyle—both on and offline—adults can create a safer, more supportive environment for children to thrive.
This involves:
Open conversations: Discussing the unrealistic images and messages they see online, helping them understand that much of what they see on social media isn’t real, desirable, or healthy.
Encourage critical thinking: Teach kids to question the content they consume and help them recognize when something is promoting an unhealthy ideal.
Make the healthy choice the easy choice: Offer nutritious, whole plant-based foods regularly and foster a positive nutrition environment.
Limit screen time: Set limits and encourage restorative sleep or other activities that boost their self-esteem and sense of self-worth outside social media.
By creating a supportive and healthy environment, we can help kids elevate critical thinking skills, develop positive body image, and nurture a healthy relationship with food, shielding them from the online world’s confusing and often damaging messages. UMMMMMMM…Ok…one last thing…That charge that TikTok is “designed to be addictive to kids and harms their mental health” and “They’ve chosen profit over the health and safety, well-being and future of our children. And that is not something we can accept.” Wouldn’t that apply to most of the processed CRAP that large food manufacturers intentionally market to children? Oh…Ok…I’ll rest my case.
