Across the digital landscape, following trends has become an internet phenomenon. The number of global social media users continues to increase rapidly, estimated to reach almost 6 billion in 2026. Cyber Citizens have access to a wealth of information now more than ever before. Once labeled as a network of platforms created to enhance digital connectivity, evolved into a breeding ground for marketing and consumerism. Large corporations can bank on people’s desire for social approval by utilizing popular trends and celebrity influences or appealing to customers’ emotions. For young women, specifically, marketing tactics centering on beauty-related needs may seem inherently good-natured, but can also be weaponized through exploitation. The belief that one’s appearance always needs fixing is a true money maker. That said, women’s bodies have remained under intense scrutiny, shaped by the pressures of societal beauty standards. This includes youthfulness, maintaining “glass” skin, and achieving a slender figure void of wrinkles and stretch marks.
Referencing Western media’s obsession with thinness, the destructive mythic system of diet culture enters. According to the National Library of Medicine, diet culture is a societal norm that values thinness over other body types. The act of “dieting” can be traced back to the Ancient Greeks, who prioritized keeping active and eating nutritious foods such as nuts, fruits, and vegetables. During the early 1900s, the term evolved, and dieting, or limiting food intake to lose weight, became widespread. Although perceived as a “quick” process to shed pounds, several studies have linked the short-term health plan to stress, nutritional malnourishment, and body dysmorphia. “95% of all dieters will regain their lost weight in 1-5 years,” the UNC School of Medicine detailed in a report. Despite the recorded risks of dieting, the social push for thinness still outweighs its dangers.
In recent years, “clean eating” has intermixed with diet culture, with onlookers using the phrases interchangeably. However, they seem to be very different. Clean eating refers to a type of diet, but calls for long-term lifestyle change rather than chasing short-term results. The healthy phrase doesn’t have a clear definition, but consists of consuming minimally processed whole foods, working towards overall nutritional value. However, some variations of clean eating can eliminate all sugar and white carbs, which reinforces the placement of certain foods in “good” and “bad” categories. Still, the explanation rests on the perception of the individual.