“Zero carbs!” 

“Carnivore diet!”

“Keto diet!”

“Ozempic!”

After a brief era of self-love and body positivity, social media is once again being flooded with extreme diet trends. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are teeming with flashy health fads, exposing vulnerable audiences to a constant barrage of unrealistic and often harmful advice. But how many of these influencers are actually licensed professionals? Probably just a handful.

One group especially at risk? College students.

College students are already facing many challenges: moving to new environments, meeting new people, having busy schedules, and taking care of their eating habits for the first time without guidance or help. Thus, students find it difficult to find adequate times to eat and prepare proper and nourishing meals. Many end up relying on quick fixes such as fast food and dining hall selections, which can be difficult to control due to the buffet-style arrangement. Weight gain in college is a hot topic, and phrases like “freshman fifteen” are widely known, making college students even more vulnerable to these myths. As these students are exposed to high-stress environments, they are more likely to make unhealthy eating decisions and overconsume snacks.

To make matters worse, social media’s nonstop feed of contradicting “tips” only adds to the confusion. One day you’re told carbs are the enemy, the next you're encouraged to survive on butter and steak. Navigating this chaotic landscape is overwhelming—not just physically, but mentally. It becomes nearly impossible to maintain both a balanced diet and a healthy mindset when every scroll brings a new rule to follow.

The American Psychological Association conducted a study that correlates social media use with body image; it found that “students who reduced their social media use had a significant improvement in how they perceived both their overall appearance and their body weight.” Though not noted, this trend might be able to be correlated with the fact that the students are no longer being overwhelmed with every possible existing diet. 

Even more concerning is the rise of pro-anorexia content and orthorexia behavior, which is when individuals focus on completely ridding themselves of unhealthy and impure foods. Watching content that presents eating disorder behaviors can have detrimental effects on viewers. Research conducted by the University of Vermont found that many young people are stuck in “weight loss TikTok” and that weight and weight loss have become highly prevalent topics on the app.

Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have significantly shaped health and wellness perceptions among college students and have made a challenging transition even harder. This growing trend contributes to the resurgence of toxic diet cultures and presents unique nutritional challenges for college students, who may be particularly susceptible to adopting unhealthy eating behaviors. It’s crucial for students to remember that not every wellness influencer is qualified and that good nutrition isn’t one-size-fits-all. The best solution is to seek guidance from licensed professionals, not viral trends.