'Starvemaxxing' on TikTok: Eating disorder charity & psychotherapist warn against 'dangerous' body image trend

An eating disorder charity and a psychotherapist have warned boys and young men against taking part in a "dangerous" TikTok trend called 'starvemaxxing'.

The troubling trend encourages young males to reduce their calorie intake, often to a dangerously low level, in order to look like their chiselled, masculine idols.

Earlier this year, videos under the hashtag #starvemaxxing had eight million views on TikTok. The potential dangers which could come from the trend, according to psychotherapist and anxiety expert Kamalyn Kaur, including developing eating disorders, body dysmorphia, self confidence issues, low self esteem, and anxiety, amongst other mental health concerns.

'Starvemaxxing' appears to be just one the trends dominating TikTok which are all aimed at supposedly helping users to improve their appearance somehow. They all come under the wider trend of #Looksmaxxing.

Some #Looksmaxxing videos are harmless, and show youngsters how to adopt a good hygiene routine. There's also #hairmaxxing, #skincaremaxxing and #shavemaxxing, which are all sub-genres of this, for example.

It is #starvemaxxing that is causing a concern among health experts. Eating disorder charity Beat also fears the trend could be 'incredibly harmful', especially if someone is already struggling or at risk of an eating disorder such as anorexia. 

'Trends that focus on body image can be incredibly harmful'

Tom Quinn, director of external affairs at eating disorder charity Beat, said the videos could worsen someone's eating disorder, as reported by the Mail Online. "While watching "starvemaxxing" videos online wouldn't cause an eating disorder, trends that focus on body image and extreme dieting can be incredibly harmful,' he said. 

"For instance, if somebody is already unwell with an eating disorder, these trends could worsen dangerous thoughts and behaviours, or contribute to an eating disorder developing if someone is already vulnerable.

"There's a misconception that eating disorders only affect women and girls, but one in four people with eating disorders are men, and since the pandemic we've been hearing from more people than ever before of all genders, ages and backgrounds,' Quinn added. 

Kaur told NationalWorld: "The trend also gives the impression that a chiselled look and sharp jawline is what is desirable and what society perceives as being attractive. This indirectly implies that anything different is not attractive, creating unrealistic beauty standards."

She added that striving for a certain standard in terms of looks can also impact how people connect with others when in a relationship. "If your own relationship with yourself is based on insecurity and a belief that you are 'not good enough' as you are, then it can be more difficult to maintain or sustain relationships," she said.

A leading cause of death related to mental health problems

Mental health charity Young Minds has found that about 25% of people who experience eating disorders like anorexia are male. They warn that thinking a lot about calories and what food you eat, as well as exercising too much and developing an obsession with body image are all feelings and behaviours associated with anorexia that people need to be aware of.

Quinn continued: "We'd encourage people to take a step back from social media, report any content they find harmful or use the 'ot Interested' feature if they're struggling.  We'd also urge anybody worried about their health to reach out to their GP, somebody they trust and a source of support like Beat."

The NHS warns that anorexia is a serious mental health condition which carries many health risks, all associated with not getting the right nutrients. Possible complications include problems with muscles and bones including feeling tired and weak, problems with physical development in children and young adults, fertility problems, and problems with the heart and blood vessels including poor circulation, an irregular heartbeat and heart failure.

Anorexia is also one of the leading causes of deaths related to mental health problems, according to the NHS. Deaths from anorexia may be due to physical complications or suicide.

Content removed

TikTok has partnered with Beat to help them improve their policies on potentially harmful videos.  In 2023, of the videos removed because they violated TikTok's policies on disordered eating, more than 90 per cent were proactively removed, the social media giant says. 

A TikTok spokesperson said: "Content promoting dangerous weight loss behaviours is not allowed on TikTok. We proactively direct searches for this content to well-being resources that we developed with experts."

Videos with the hashtag #starvemaxxing are now unable to be viewed on the platform. When NationalWorld searched for the hashtag on the website on the afternoon of Monday March 11, we were presented with a safety message which read: "You're not alone. If you or someone you know is having a hard time, help is always available."

If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, 365 days a year on 0808 801 0677 or at beateatingdisorders.org.uk.