Meet Liv Schmidt, a figure centered around the concept of thinness.

Unlike many fitness and lifestyle influencers who distance themselves from linking health to being thin, Schmidt has gained popularity by openly embracing this link, amassing a following of 670,000 on TikTok until her account was suspended in September.

She once wrote, “Basic fit because the accessory is being blonde & skinny,” accompanying an outfit video. In another instance, she humorously cautioned, “Please don’t ask me how I’m so skinny if you’re not ready for the answers.”

While her fans claim she’s simply being honest, mental health professionals caution that her content can adversely affect young people’s body image and lead to unhealthy eating patterns. They emphasize the need to raise awareness among parents about these online discussions.

“We’re witnessing a resurgence of openly expressing the desire to be thin, contrasting with the previous trend of promoting a healthier lifestyle or wellness,” noted Lizzy Pope, an Associate Professor at the University of Vermont. She studies the representation of diet culture in popular culture and social media. “It seems like we are returning to an acceptance of that language.”

Learning About Liv Schmidt and Her TikTok Ban

At 23, Schmidt gained traction last year by sharing her unfiltered views on pursuing thinness through her videos like “Living Slim in the City” and “Holiday Meal Skinny Girl Guide.” Her Instagram showcases curated images of her in coordinated workout outfits while enjoying dining experiences in New York City, presenting thinness as a key part of being trendy.

In a profile for the Wall Street Journal, Schmidt elaborated on her beliefs regarding caloric restriction and justified her content choices.

According to her LinkedIn, she is employed as a Social Event Coordinator at a private family office in New York and shared with the Journal that she felt the pressure to conform to the “blonde and skinny” ideal while at the University of Arizona.

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

TikTok suspended her account for infringing community guidelines, as reported by The Journal. A TikTok representative did not respond to YSL News’s inquiries about the specifics but some of her content seemingly conflicted with rules against promoting harmful weight management strategies.

Although she remains banned from TikTok, Schmidt continues to share content on Instagram with 129,000 followers and offers exclusive material for $19.99 monthly to her 1,600 subscribers. She has also released 86 new YouTube videos with provocative titles like “Bye bye thunder thighs, hello slim legs.”

Schmidt has responded to criticism on her social media, claiming in November, “I’m not problematic, you’re just too sensitive.”

Schmidt declined to comment when approached by YSL News.

The Impact of ‘Skinny’ Content on Young People’s Eating Habits

TikTok has measures in place to limit damaging weight-related content. However, some users have creatively circumvented these regulations by sharing pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia material through cleverly disguised hashtags and questionable “what I eat in a day” posts that often depict unhealthy eating practices.

A study from the University of Vermont in 2022 indicated that the most popular videos related to food and weight on TikTok propagate harmful diet culture among teens and young adults.

Pope, who contributed to the study, mentioned that depictions of dieting and weight loss were commonly presented as part of a healthy lifestyle in the videos they evaluated. She believes that if the study were conducted again in 2025, the findings would show “a much clearer representation of content focused on being skinny.”

Experts highlight that advice from non-professional influencers can be problematic as it often overlooks individual differences like genetics and simplifies the complex nature of eating disorders, which typically develop gradually.

The rise of eating disorders among youth since the pandemic can be linked to factors such as social media influence and feelings of isolation. Additionally, the growing trend of medication like Wegovy and Ozempic for weight management has become particularly popular among women.

Pope described videos like Schmidt’s as “siren songs” for the insecure youth, making dieting appear enticing and straightforward. However, adopting such behaviors with the expectation of similar outcomes could lead to dissatisfaction or disordered eating patterns.

How Parents Can Combat Toxic Online Diet Culture

Diet culture and disordered

Trends in eating habits are constantly evolving. From the ’90s supermodel Kate Moss’s famous saying, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” to the rise of eating disorder discussions on Tumblr in the 2010s, it’s clear that societal views on body image can shift dramatically. Even if TikTok goes away, Pope suggested that similar content will pop up on other platforms as long as being thin is linked to perceived social status and health.

Schmidt isn’t the only one making waves in this area; there are many other influencers promoting slenderness online. Pope advises that parents should be aware that their teen may encounter such content and encourages open discussions about diet and the importance of embracing values beyond physical appearance. She emphasizes the need to avoid making assumptions about a thin person’s body weight and warns against accepting unverified dieting advice from others.

“Start a conversation like, ‘Do you come across nutrition-related content on your feed? Or see anything regarding weight loss?’” Pope suggested.

The best approach to limit exposure to similar material is to avoid engaging with it altogether. Engaging with content through comments or likes can lead to the algorithm displaying more of the same. Pope noted that developing the ability to dismiss such content is crucial for maintaining mental health and recommended professional help from therapists or dietitians if harmful thoughts continue.

If you or someone you care about is dealing with body image or eating issues, you can reach the National Eating Disorders Association’s confidential helpline at 1-800-931-2237, by text or using their chat feature at nationaleatingdisorders.org/helpline. For urgent crises, text “NEDA” to 741-741 anytime.

Hale covers youth mental health for YSL News, supported by a grant from Pivotal Ventures. Pivotal Ventures does not influence editorial decisions. Contact her at rhale@usatoday.com or follow her on X @rachelleighhale.