Warning on selfie eating disorders

A SHORT animated film has been created to warn of the dangers lurking in social media for people with eating disorders.

The video is based on testimonies from sufferers who say their illness was exacerbated by the food and body image content on social media apps, including selfies on Instagram and WhatsApp.

It offers advice for coping with images that undermine self confidence, and comes as NHS figures showed demand for eating disorder services had quadrupled in young people since the start of the pandemic.

Paula Saukko, co-author of the research carried out at Loughborough University, said: ‘Social media encourages users to compare themselves to others in terms of looks or success, and foments constant engagement, replies and insecurities when others are not responding or reacting.’