Her identity? Liv Schmidt. Her message? Emphasizing thinness.

Unlike many fitness and lifestyle influencers who avoid linking health with being thin, Schmidt candidly expresses her views, amassing a TikTok following of 670,000 before her account was suspended in September.

“Basic fit because the accessory is being blonde & skinny,” she commented in one video. “Please don’t ask me how I’m so skinny if you’re not ready for the answers,” she wrote in another.

While her fans claim she’s “just being honest,” mental health professionals caution that her content could adversely affect young people’s body image and promote unhealthy eating patterns, representing a shift in societal views on thinness. They stress the need to educate parents about these online discussions.

“We are witnessing a trend where openly expressing a desire to be thin is resurgent, moving away from a focus on wellness or health,” commented Lizzy Pope, an Associate Professor at the University of Vermont, who studies the portrayal of diet culture in social media and popular culture. “I’m observing that this mindset is becoming more socially accepted.”

Who is Liv Schmidt, and why was she banned from TikTok?

At 23, Schmidt gained fame last year for her blunt take on achieving thinness, showcased in her “living slim in the city” series and her “Holiday Meal Skinny Girl Guide.” Her curated Instagram feed features sleek images of her in coordinated workout outfits while enjoying Manhattan’s culinary and nightlife scenes, suggesting that being thin is integral to being fashionable and desirable.

In a Wall Street Journal profile from last year, she discussed her views on calorie restriction and defended her content style.

Her LinkedIn indicates she works as a Social Event Coordinator at a private family office in New York City. During her time at the University of Arizona, she mentioned feeling pressured to conform to the “blonde and skinny” stereotype.

“Weight is a sensitive subject, but that’s what the audience craves,” she stated.

According to The Journal, TikTok banned Schmidt for infringing their community guidelines, though a spokesperson did not provide detailed reasons. However, many of her videos appeared to breach the platform’s policies on disordered eating and body image by promoting potentially harmful weight loss methods.

Though Schmidt remains blocked from TikTok, she continues to upload content to Instagram, where she has 129,000 followers, and she sells exclusive content for $19.99 monthly to about 1,600 subscribers. Additionally, she has released 86 new videos on YouTube, some titled “Bye bye thunder thighs… hello slim legs.”

In response to criticism, she stated in November, “I’m not problematic, you’re just too sensitive.”

Schmidt declined to comment when reached by YSL News.

The uptick in ‘skinny’ content and its effects on young people

TikTok implements guidelines to limit harmful weight-related content. Nevertheless, users have found ways to bypass these restrictions, sharing pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia materials disguised under seemingly innocent hashtags and “what I eat in a day” videos that often present unhealthy food choices.

According to a University of Vermont study, the most popular food and weight-related content on the platform conveys a toxic diet culture among adolescents and young adults.

Pope, a co-author of the study, noted that diet culture and weight loss discussions within these videos frame thinness as synonymous with health. She suspects that if they conducted the study again in 2025, they’d encounter an even greater prevalence of explicit “I’m doing this to be skinny” narratives.

The issue with taking cues from unqualified influencers, as Pope explains, is that their generalized advice overlooks individual differences like genetics and fails to account for the gradual nature of developing eating disorders.

Factors such as social media use and feelings of isolation have significantly increased the incidence of eating disorders among youths since the pandemic. Young people’s desire to be thin is further fueled by discussions surrounding weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic, which have notably gained traction, particularly among women.

Pope describes videos like Schmidt’s as “siren songs” for insecure young individuals, making dieting appear to be the most appealing or straightforward option. However, trying to replicate this behavior and hoping for the same results can lead to disillusionment or harmful eating practices.

What parents can do to counter toxic online diet culture

Diet culture and disordered

The topic of eating habits is constantly evolving, introducing new buzzwords and trends. From the famous saying of ’90s supermodel Kate Moss, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” to the rise of eating disorder discussions on platforms like Tumblr in the 2010s, these narratives persist. Even if TikTok were to face a ban, Pope cautioned that similar content would inevitably emerge on other social media platforms as long as thinness is viewed as a symbol of social status and health.

Schmidt isn’t the only one – she is certainly among the more notable figures, but there are other influencers promoting thin ideals online. Pope advises that parents of teenagers should prepare for their children to encounter this type of content. She suggests talking about diet-related issues openly and nurturing an environment at home that emphasizes values beyond mere appearance. It’s essential to avoid making assumptions about a thin individual’s body, and to recognize that the real issue arises when unqualified advice is given about how to achieve thinness.

“Initiate a conversation such as, ‘Hey, do you come across any nutrition-related content? Or do you see anything about eating on your For You page? Have you seen anything about weight loss on there?’,” Pope recommended.

To reduce exposure to such content, the best strategy is to avoid engaging with it. Interacting by liking or commenting on videos increases the likelihood of similar content appearing in your feed. Pope emphasized that learning to dismiss such content is crucial in protecting one’s mental well-being from harmful diet culture. She also encourages individuals to seek professional help from therapists and dietitians if unhealthy thoughts continue to arise.

If you or someone you know is facing challenges related to body image or eating issues, the National Eating Disorders Association offers a toll-free and confidential helpline that can be reached by phone or text at 1-800-931-2237, or through click-to-chat at nationaleatingdisorders.org/helpline. For urgent situations at any time, text “NEDA” to 741-741.

Hale’s role in reporting on youth mental health at YSL News is supported by a grant from Pivotal Ventures. Pivotal Ventures does not influence editorial decisions. Reach her at rhale@usatoday.com and @rachelleighhale on X.