Body Image, TikTok, & Eating Disorder Prevention With Jenny Tomei @askjenup

What happens when children struggle with body image and restrictive eating?

In this conversation, I welcome back eating disorder advocate, educator, and JenUp founder Jenny Tomei @askjenup to discuss a troubling trend she is seeing in schools across the UK. Children as young as elementary school age are making comments about each other's bodies, judging what peers eat at lunch, and absorbing diet culture messages long before most adults realize it.

Jenny shares what students, teachers, and parents are telling her about body image concerns, food shame, social media pressure, and the growing influence of TikTok on how young people think about food, weight, and appearance. We also discuss why some students avoid eating at school altogether, how body-based teasing affects children, and what adults can do to create safer environments around food.

Later in the episode, we explore concerns about weight loss injections and GLP-1 medications being used with young people, the messages children receive about success and thinness, and why eating disorder prevention efforts need to start much earlier than many schools currently address them.

What You'll Learn

Children as young as elementary school age are already absorbing diet culture messages and making comments about peers' bodies and food choices.

Many students avoid eating lunch at school because they fear judgment, teasing, or unwanted attention.

Social media trends on TikTok continue to shape how young people think about weight loss, nutrition, and appearance.

Food policing and body-based comments can increase shame and elevate eating disorder risk.

Parents, teachers, and other adults play a powerful role in shaping children's relationships with food and body image.

Digital literacy skills can help young people question nutrition myths and appearance-focused content online.

Growing interest in GLP-1 medications and weight loss injections raises important concerns about youth health and eating disorder prevention.

Early intervention and prevention efforts can help create safer school environments around food, bodies, and self-worth.

About Jenny Tomei

Jenny Tomei is an eating disorder advocate, speaker, educator, and founder of JenUp Community CIC. Drawing from her own recovery from anorexia and compulsive exercise, Jenny works with schools, students, educators, and families throughout the United Kingdom and internationally to increase awareness of eating disorders, challenge harmful body image messages, and promote early prevention.

Through JenUp, she delivers workshops, staff trainings, and educational programs focused on body image, disordered eating, social media literacy, and mental health awareness.

Who This Episode Is For

Parents concerned about body image issues, food anxiety, or eating disorder risk in children and teens.

Teachers, school counselors, and educators who want to create more supportive environments around food and body image.

Eating disorder professionals, therapists, dietitians, and healthcare providers.

Anyone interested in eating disorder prevention, youth mental health, and the influence of social media on young people.

Connect With Jenny Tomei

Follow Jenny on Instagram at @askjenup.

Check out her TikTok: @JenUpCommunity

Learn more about her work through JenUp at JenUp.com.

Listen to her JenUp podcast Apple & Spotify.

Other Episodes With Jenny Tomei

SkinnyTok & Anorexia: How Harmful Trends Thrive Despite TikTok’s Ban with Jenny Tomei @askjenup on Apple & Spotify.

Overexercising, ADHD, & Eating Disorders with @askjenup Jenny Tomei on Apple & Spotify.

Work With Dr. Marianne Miller

I provide eating disorder therapy for adults in California and Washington, DC, along with coaching services worldwide. I specialize in ARFID, binge eating disorder, anorexia, bulimia, neurodivergent eating challenges, and complex relationships with food.

You can learn more about working with me, my ARFID and Selective Eating Course, and my Binge Eating Recovery Membership at DrMarianneMiller.com.