Body Dysmorphia and Skinny Fat Including Anorexia & Other Eating Disorders

As the mental health crisis (1, 2, 3, 4) persists, eating disorders among young people, especially young females, are on the rise (5, 6, 7, 8). Social media (9, 10, 11, 12, 13) is a major culprit, including very concerning trends like SkinnyTok (14) on TikTok. Body dysmorphia (body dysmorphic disorder/BDD)(15, 16, 17, 23, 24) and skinny fat (18) are major players and common variables associated with eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa (inappropriately known as “myproana”)(19, 20, 21, 22).

After spending the last few years on diverse social media and acquiring a real sense of things, one common theme is a gross misunderstanding of body composition and skinny fat — really genetics and the human body, in general. Not to mention the confusion, misinformation, and disinformation in terms of metabolism, diet, exercise, and lifestyle.

Body Dysmorphia, Skinny Fat, Anorexia & Other Eating Disorders

Body dysmorphia is generally defined (23, 24, 15, 16, 17) as a “mental health condition in which you can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that appears minor or can’t be seen by others. But you may feel so embarrassed, ashamed and anxious that you may avoid many social situations” or choose other drastic unhealthy measures like an eating disorder such as anorexia. Skinny fat is one of the common “flaws” associated with body dysmorphia.

Because skinny fat science is so young (25, 18), there is currently no way for medical doctors to diagnose it (our science (26) is working on this). Just as, at present, there is no official way to determine what a “normal” or “average” human body shape (27) looks like or is (our science (28) is also working on this). This leads to abundant and widespread inaccurate and false body shape and skinny fat information on social media, no less, which fuels mental health diseases including eating disorders.

False Skinny Fat Claims Include:

False Claim #1 – Skinny fat is caused by poor diet and exercise where muscle tissue is lost and becomes regular white/yellow body fat/skinny fat. It is a fact (29, 18) that muscle tissue cannot turn into any kind of fat tissue/skinny fat, or vice versa. However, lost muscle tissue can make any existing skinny fat worse.

False Claim #2 – Starving cures and prevents skinny fat by getting to a low enough BMI. Skinny fat can exist at any BMI – you can technically lose 100% of your regular white/yellow body fat yet your skinny fat will remain (if you are experiencing it). However, starving does cause muscle tissue loss which can make any existing skinny fat worse – the lower your BMI below 18.49, the more muscle tissue you lose which makes any existing skinny fat worse (see real example below).

False Claim #3 – Cardio exercise (30) causes skinny fat. It is a fact that no amount of cardio magically turns muscle tissue into any kind of fat/skinny fat. Not how human tissue works (29, 18). Proper cardio burns calories which can help you lose regular white/yellow body fat weight and reduce skinny fat. However, improper cardio can cause muscle tissue loss and make any existing skinny fat worse. 

False Claim #4 – Resistance exercise (31) like weightlifting prevents and cures skinny fat. However, adding muscle mass is the best way to reduce skinny fat.

False Claim #5 – Eating more protein prevents and cures skinny fat. No amount of protein magically prevents (genetic) or turns any kind of fat/skinny fat into muscle. Not how human tissue works (29, 18). However, more protein and resistance exercise can help add muscle mass to reduce skinny fat.

False Claim #6 – genetics (see below) are just an excuse for lazy people who are not working hard enough, lying, and/or cheating.

Body Dysmorphia, Skinny Fat, & Anorexia/Eating Disorders Go Hand-In-Hand

Muscle tissue/fiber is genetic (32). Skinny fat is genetic (33, 32, 18); unique tissue — thin fat and/or cellulite — that exists where genetic default muscle tissue should be but is not. It can exist at any BMI. For example, see how this emaciated person (34) failed to starve away their skinny fat (thin fat) — they have minimal muscle tissue (skinny fat) on their stomach, love handles, and lower back, no less, thanks to their genetics.

They were finally successful at reducing their skinny fat by adding muscle mass in recovery, thus mitigating their body dysmorphia.

Yet, see how emaciated genetically blessed Christian Bale lost a lot of weight including obvious muscle tissue — see how the muscle definition including 6-pack abs and muscle on his love handles is clear, no less, while emaciated! And no skinny fat. Genetics.

The solution to body dysmorphia and relative mental health diseases including eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating (BED), and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is understanding unique genetic body composition and shape (see our MRI Study (26)). Body composition, particularly skinny fat, directly influences metabolism (35) as well as diet (36), exercise (37), lifestyle (38), and overall health.

Scientific Health Quizzes

This is why we developed the Scientific Health Quizzes — Scientific Metabolism Quiz, Scientific Diet Quiz, Scientific Exercise Quiz, Scientific Body Type Quiz (body composition) — using the latest science in proprietary algorithms to accurately calculate your unique metrics. Each Quiz helps you better understand your unique body composition, metabolism, diet, exercise, lifestyle, and overall health to be healthy in the short and long term.

Accounts are free, private, secure, and anonymous (depending on the info you choose to give). Free options are available. 

References

1. Pew Trusts: America’s Mental Health Crisis, December 8, 2023, Thomas Insel, M.D. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/trend/archive/fall-2023/americas-mental-health-crisis
2. U.S. News and World Report: America Is Suffering a Mental Health Crisis. 988 Is Here to Help. September 6, 2024, Elizabeth Box and Derrick Feldmann. https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2024-09-06/america-is-suffering-a-mental-health-crisis-988-is-here-to-help
3. Skinny Fat Science: How Skinny Fat Affects Mental Health, August 21, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-skinny-fat-affects-mental-health/
4. World Health Organization (WHO): The human resources for health crisis, https://www.who.int/teams/health-workforce/PHEworkforce/the-human-resources-for-health-crisis
5. The Journal of Pediatrics: Alarming Increase of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents, December 2023, Volume 263113733, Maria Pastore, MD, Flavia Indrio, MD, Donjeta Bali, MD, Mehmet Vural, MD, Ida Giardino, MD, and Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani, MD, PhD. https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(23)00596-6/fulltext
6. John Hopkins Medicine: Eating Disorders Among Kids are on the Rise, Ellen McVay, December 09, 2024. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/articles/2024/12/eating-disorders-among-kids-are-on-the-rise
7. The Wall Street Journal: Eating Disorders Are on the Rise. Scientists Still Don’t Know How to Treat Them. April 17, 2025, Ericka Andersen. https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/eating-disorders-are-on-the-rise-scientists-still-dont-know-how-to-treat-them-54d212c9
8. Harvard Health Publishing: Eating disorders spike among children and teens: What parents should know, April 21, 2022. Claire McCarthy, MD, Senior Faculty Editor. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-disorders-spike-among-children-and-teens-what-parents-should-know-202204212731
9. Yale Medicine: How Social Media Affects Your Teen’s Mental Health: A Parent’s Guide, June 17, 2024, Kathy Katella. https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/social-media-teen-mental-health-a-parents-guide
10. Eating Recovery Center: How Does Social Media Affect Eating Disorders?, July 25, 2024, Rebecca Pacun (Clinically reviewed by Maggie Moore, MA, LMFT).https://www.eatingrecoverycenter.com/resources/social-media-eating-disorders
11. NIH, National Library of Medicine: Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review, June 15, 2020, Fazida Karim, Azeezat A Oyewande, Lamis F Abdalla, Reem Chaudhry Ehsanullah, and Safeera Khan (Edited by Alexander Muacevic and John R Adler).
12. Human Health Services: Social Media and Youth Mental Health The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, 2023, United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf
13. The Guardian: Social media particularly damaging to mental health of Gen Zers, says study, April 28, 2023, Erum Salam. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/apr/28/social-media-mental-health-gen-z
14. Parents: What Is ‘SkinnyTok’, and How Should Parents Respond to This Harmful Trend?, April 17, 2025, Beth Ann Mayer (Fact checked by Sarah Scott). https://www.parents.com/what-is-skinnytok-trend-11716497
15. NIH, National Library of Medicine: Body Dysmorphic Disorder, January 20, 2024, Holly R. Nicewicz, Tyler J. Torrico, and Jacqueline F. Boutrouille. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555901/
16. Cleveland Clinic: Body Dysmorphic Disorder, January 11, 2023. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9888-body-dysmorphic-disorder
17. John Hopkins Medicine: Body Dysmorphic Disorder. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/body-dysmorphic-disorder
18. Skinny Fat Science: What Is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/what-is-skinny-fat/
19. Cleveland Clinic: Eating Disorders, September 23, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4152-eating-disorders
20. Healthline: 6 Common Types of Eating Disorders (and Their Symptoms), June 11, 2024, Alina Petre, MS, RD (NL) (Medically reviewed by Katherine Marengo LDN, R.D., Nutrition). https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-eating-disorders
21. Mayo Clinic, Eating disorders, March 28, 2023, Mayo Clinic Staff. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eating-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20353603
22. NIH, National Institute of Mental Health: Eating Disorders: What You Need to Know, Revised 2024, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health NIH Publication No. 24-MH-4901. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders
23. Mayo Clinic: Body dysmorphic disorder. December 13, 2022, Mayo Clinic Staff. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353938
24. Wikipedia: Body dysmorphic disorder. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_dysmorphic_disorder
25. Skinny Fat Science: Skinny Fat Is More Than Just Normal-Weight Obesity, April 2, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/skinny-fat-is-more-than-just-normal-weight-obesity/
26. Skinny Fat Science: Scientific Skinny Fat MRI Study – Proving What Skinny Fat Is, March 26, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/scientific-skinny-fat-mri-study-proving-what-skinny-fat-is/
27. Skinny Fat Science: How Skinny Fat Affects Body Shape, April 16, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-skinny-fat-affects-body-shape/
28. Fellow One Research: Body Type Science Research Data. https://www.fellowone.com/category/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-science/research-data/
29. Skinny Fat Science: How To Fix Skinny Fat, July 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-to-fix-skinny-fat/
30. Skinny Fat Science: Best Skinny Fat Cardio Exercises, September 11, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/best-skinny-fat-cardio-exercises/
31. Skinny Fat Science: Best Skinny Fat Resistance Exercises, September 4, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/best-skinny-fat-resistance-exercises/
32. Skinny Fat Science: Is Muscle/Mass Genetic and How Does It Affect Skinny Fat?, November 20, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/is-muscle-mass-genetic-and-how-does-it-affect-skinny-fat/
33. Skinny Fat Science: Is Skinny Fat Genetic?, November 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/is-skinny-fat-genetic/
34. Daily Mail: From anorexic to body builder: Woman who was on the brink of death after dropping to FOUR STONE becomes a champion weight lifter in just 18 MONTHS, April 4, 2017, Martha Cliff. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4378340/Recovering-anorexic-wins-bodybuilding-title.html
35. Skinny Fat Science: How Metabolism Affects Skinny Fat. August 7, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-skinny-fat-affects-metabolism/
36. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Diet, According to Science, July 29, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/the-best-skinny-fat-diet-according-to-science/
37. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Exercise, According to Science, August 2, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/the-best-skinny-fat-exercise-according-to-science/
38. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Lifestyle, According to Science, August 14, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/the-best-skinny-fat-lifestyle-according-to-science/