SkinnyTok

On TikTok and similar platforms, many videos circulate in which extreme weight loss is presented as desirable or cool. Creators share strict diets, tricks to suppress hunger and before-and-after videos that normalise unhealthy behavioural patterns. Although TikTok has restricted the hashtag #SkinnyTok or removed it from search results, many accounts still carry the term in their username and the content spreads via alternative or misspelled hashtags (for example #sinnytok or #skinnyytok). People keep finding new ways to circumvent moderation.

It is not purely about losing weight. Behind the trend there is often a search for social status and validation, identification with influencers who glorify outward discipline, peer pressure and the wish to belong, and the illusion that quick results bring control and appreciation. For young people in a vulnerable position, this can lead to dangerous habits or the development of an eating disorder.

• Social status: a thinner body is presented as proof of "discipline" and success
• Platform logic: short, recognisable formats are rewarded with high visibility, so that more extreme examples are magnified
• Coded language: terms such as "discipline", "clean eating" or alternative spellings mask the harm
• Moderation circumvention: blocking one hashtag does not solve the problem; communities migrate to variants and accounts that continue spreading the same message

• Young people who consider eating extremely little normal or share tips for suppressing hunger
• Videos with extremely low calorie counts (e.g. 300–500 kcal per day) presented as a "routine"
• Accounts or hashtags with coded or misspelled references to SkinnyTok
• Sudden changes in behaviour: withdrawal, excessive exercise, fainting, fatigue or health complaints
• A clear fixation on appearance and strict rules around food

Escalate to GEVAARLIJK (dangerous) in the event of acute physical signs (fainting, severe weight loss, exhaustion) or a suspected eating disorder: it is then no longer a matter of awareness but a health risk — refer to youth mental health services (jeugd-GGZ)/the GP.

• See the bigger picture: banning one hashtag is useful but does not solve the underlying problem. Keep taking signals seriously.
• Explain the risks: discuss concretely which physical and psychological complaints can arise and why "discipline" is sometimes a dangerous euphemism.
• Offer routes to help: ensure clear referral pathways to youth mental health services (jeugd-GGZ), GPs and dietitians.
• Work on media literacy: make young people aware of algorithms, coded hashtags and how content affects their self-image.
• Collaborate: involve parents, school, youth work and youth care so that signals are picked up more quickly.
• Offer alternatives for status: develop activities that support appreciation and identity in safe ways (skills, sport, art, leadership).
• Look not only at exact hashtags but also at usernames, near-spellings and hidden references in comments and bios.

In a group setting
- What stands out to you about these before-and-after videos?
- When does taking care of your body turn into something harmful?
- What role do likes and comments play in how you see yourself?

One-to-one
- Have you seen videos like this? How did they make you feel?
- Who do you follow on these kinds of channels, and why?
- What would you do if someone gave you a "tip" to eat less?

Keep the tone open and non-judgemental. Focus on curiosity: why someone goes along with it, what promise the trend makes, and what it does to someone's daily life.

• TrendSein – SkinnyTok: de prijs van "slank zijn" (TrendSein newsletter, Trendsein- skinny tok.pdf)