Scrolling for Self-Worth: How Social Media Shapes Kids’ Body Image and What Parents Can Do

by JoAnn Stevelos, MS, MPH

Spring 2025

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably seen it—your child curled up on the couch, scrolling endlessly on their phone. What seems like harmless entertainment can quickly become a battle for self-worth, especially when it comes to weight and body image. Social media isn’t just a place for cute dog videos and dance trends; it’s also where kids absorb messages about what bodies are considered “good” or “bad.” Too often, those messages are unrealistic, harmful and impossible to achieve.

For children struggling with their weight or facing weight-based bullying, social media can be a double-edged sword. While it can offer community and support, it can also amplify insecurities, expose them to toxic diet culture and make bullying feel inescapable. Parents may not always control what their kids see, but they can help them navigate it in a way that protects their self-esteem.

How Social Media Shapes Self-Worth

Social media is flooded with carefully posed, edited and filtered images that create an unattainable standard of beauty. Children—especially those already self-conscious about their weight—may compare themselves to influencers and celebrities, believing they should look the same. Studies show that the more time kids spend consuming image-focused content, the worse they feel about their bodies.

But it’s not just the images. It’s the comment sections filled with body-shaming remarks. It’s the viral “What I Eat in a Day” videos that glorify restriction. It’s the before-and-after weight loss transformations that send the message: Your body is only worth celebrating if it’s shrinking.

For kids who already feel like they don’t fit in, social media can reinforce the idea that their worth is tied to their size. And when weight-based bullying enters the picture, the impact can be devastating.

Weight-Based Bullying and Social Media: A Constant Cycle

Weight bias is one of the last widely accepted forms of discrimination, and kids with larger bodies experience it early. At school, they may be teased, excluded or even openly ridiculed. In past generations, home could at least be a safe space—a break from the pressures of the outside world.

Now, social media brings bullying right into their bedrooms:

• A mean comment on their latest post
• A cruel meme shared in a group chat
• A TikTok challenge mocking “fat people”

For many kids, the bullying doesn’t stop at school—it follows them online, where it can feel impossible to escape.

Even more concerning, research shows that children who experience weight-based bullying are at a higher risk of depression, anxiety, disordered eating and even suicidal thoughts. Social media amplifies this, making it easy for bullies to target kids while hiding behind a screen.

How Parents Can Help Protect Self-Worth in a Digital Age

You don’t have to be a social media expert to help your child navigate its impact. You just need to be present, engaged and willing to talk.

Encourage Open Conversations

Talk to your children about the impact of social media on body image. Encourage them to share how they feel when they see certain images or read comments. Help them understand that what they see online isn’t always the full picture—images are often filtered, edited or staged. Teaching kids to think critically about social media helps them resist unrealistic beauty standards. Make sure you keep the lines of communication open and nonjudgmental so they feel heard and supported and feel comfortable coming to you if they’re hurt or confused.

Limit Social Media Use

While it’s not realistic to remove social media entirely, you can help manage how much time your child spends on these platforms. Set boundaries around social media use, such as limiting screen time or ensuring that social media accounts are private. Consider co-viewing content to stay connected to what your child is seeing and how it might be impacting their self-esteem.

Try asking them this: “What’s your favorite thing about social media? What’s something that makes you feel uncomfortable or pressured?”

Help Build Positive Body Image

Promote a positive body image in your home by celebrating all shapes and sizes. Encourage healthy habits—not for appearance’s sake, but for the sake of feeling good, being strong, and having energy. Whether it’s playing sports together, taking family walks or cooking healthy meals, emphasize the importance of movement and nourishment rather than weight or appearance.

Also, not all social media is harmful. There are body-positive influencers, activists and creators who promote self-love and inclusion. Help your child follow accounts that celebrate all body types and focus on what bodies can do, not just how they look.

Some great accounts to explore:

• @thebodypositive – Encourages body neutrality and self-acceptance.
• @i_weigh (Jameela Jamil’s account) – Focuses on self-worth beyond weight.
• @nedastaff (National Eating Disorders Association) – Promotes healthy body image and mental health.

Ask your child: “Who do you follow that makes you feel inspired or happy? Who do you follow that sometimes makes you feel bad about yourself?” This can lead to a powerful discussion about the kind of messages they absorb daily.

Help Them Respond to Online Bullying

If your child is being bullied about their weight online, validate their feelings. Saying “just ignore it” can feel dismissive. Instead, try:

• “I’m so sorry that happened. That’s not okay.”
• “You don’t deserve to be treated that way.”
• “Let’s talk about ways to handle this together.”

Work with them to block the person, report the harassment, and if necessary, involve the school. Remind them that bullies thrive on silence—by speaking up and seeking support, they are taking back their power.

Be the Example

How we talk about our own bodies matters. If kids hear us criticizing our weight, calling ourselves “bad” for eating certain foods, or obsessing over appearances, they absorb those messages. Model self-kindness, and they’ll learn to do the same.

Helping Kids Build Real Self-Worth

Social media isn’t going away, but we can teach kids how to use it in ways that protect their mental and emotional well-being. The goal isn’t to eliminate social media from their lives but to give them tools to use it in an empowering, not harmful, way.

As parents, we have the power to remind our kids—every single day—that their worth isn’t tied to a number on a scale, a filtered photo, or the opinions of others. Their worth is already there. It always has been. And that’s the message they need to hear the most.

Check Out Thrive Together, OAC’s NEW Youth and Families Program!

If you’re looking for more support in helping your child develop confidence, resilience and a positive relationship with their body, Thrive Together is here to help. This brand-new program from the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) provides resources, expert guidance and a supportive community for families navigating weight, health and self-esteem. Learn more at ObesityAction.org/thrivetogether.

About the Author:

JoAnn Stevelos, MS, MPH, is a writer, public health expert and advocate for children’s well-being. She is the author of “Worthy: Raising Body Positive Children” and “The Power of Kindness.” Her blog, Children at the Table, is published by Psychology Today. Her writing has also appeared in The Guardian and other publications.

Related Resources

PREVIOUS

Obesity and Eating Disorders: A Patient and Provider Perspective