Nearly two-thirds of the 100 most popular fitness influencers lacked sound medical advice and shared posts that could negatively affect people’s mental health. At a time when social media usage is skyrocketing, it’s imperative that all messages regarding our health and wellbeing are accurate and well-informed. Further, the heavily airbrushed, thin bodies flashing across our screens daily are having a direct impact on the prevalence of eating disorders and body image issues. The danger to our younger populations is even more pronounced with teens spending an average of 7 hours a day on social media platforms. Body positivity and neutrality movements are growing, led by influential celebrities who recognize the acute danger, but they can’t combat this crisis alone. Mental health, social media and eating disorder experts are taking the stage to shed light on this growing problem and offer hope for change.
