Young adults spend hours a day on social media platforms filled with exercise influencers, fitness trends, and other appearance-focused content that can reinforce unrealistic body ideals. And for many of these younger people, the messages they’re receiving online are echoed at home, where parents, friends, and romantic partners engage in “weight talk”—comments about body size, dieting, or weight loss. While these remarks may seem harmless or may even be well-intentioned, they can contribute to body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and internalized weight stigma, particularly during the vulnerable developmental years of adolescence and young adulthood.
This article was originally published on MedicalXpress.com
