Taylor Swift isn’t just a pop star, she could also help ‘Swifties’ fight eating disorders, a study has found.
American researchers claim that fans’ “parasocial” relationship with the global sensation, combined with Swift’s openness and references to eating disorders and body image in her work, contributed to this effect.
Experts reached their conclusion after analyzing 200 social media posts about the pop star, as well as more than 8,000 comments from fans discussing her, eating disorders and body image.
Unlike other celebrities, they felt that Swift’s candid openness about her own struggles with food and body image had reduced stigma and inspired fans to get well.
Swift discussed her struggle with her perception of her weight and the standards of physical beauty that women in general face in her 2020 documentary Miss Americana.
Taylor Swift isn’t just a pop superstar, she could also help ‘Swifties’ fight eating disorders, a study suggests. Swift was photographed earlier this month during her Eras Tour in Switzerland
American researchers claim that fans’ “parasocial” relationship with the global sensation, combined with Swift’s openness and references to eating disorders and body image in her work, contribute to creating this effect
She remembers looking at photos of herself and “feeling like my belly was too big, or… someone would say I looked pregnant and I would just kind of starve myself — just stop eating.”
Swift added: “If you’re skinny enough, you don’t have that butt that everyone wants.”
“But if you’re heavy enough to have a butt, your stomach isn’t flat enough. It’s just f***ing impossible.”
In 2022, she also made headlines after Swift stepped on a scale that read “fat” in the music video for her recently released song “Anti-Hero,” while her alter ego chided her.
Researchers who examined Swift’s fans’ online discourse on these issues said their evidence suggested Swift had motivated them to change harmful behavior.
One of the comments analyzed by the University of Vermont researchers detailed how Swift’s comments about eating disorders had a profound effect on them.
“After watching her documentary about Miss Americana, I was at a loss for words,” she commented.
“I have suffered from a terrible eating disorder for a number of years,” it added.
“It was such an affirmation and inspiration to hear that Taylor was going through the same thoughts and struggles as me and so many other people. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be where I am today, and I wouldn’t be in recovery if it wasn’t for her inspiration.”
“So thank you Taylor Swift for helping me and I’m sure hundreds of other people fight and get better. You are an inspiration and the best role model anyone could ever ask for.”
Another fan with an eating disorder wrote specifically about Swift’s song “You’re On Your Own Kid”: “I think this song is the most important thing she’s ever written.
They continued, “It’s such a comfort to know that someone as famous as Taylor has been through these kinds of battles and is now assuring her fans that yes, we can get through this.”
Study co-author Lizzy Pope, a Vermont-based dietitian, said: “Our findings suggest that fans who felt a strong connection to Swift were positively influenced to change their behavior or attitudes toward food or body image because of Swift’s candor and messages in her music.”
Co-author and dietitian Kelsey Rose, also from Vermont, added: “Fans seemed inspired by the fact that Swift had recovered from his eating disorder and then seemed to thrive.”
Swift made headlines in 2022 when the music video for her song “Anti-Hero” featured a moment where she steps on a scale that reads “fat”
She eventually removed the segment after fans on social media branded the singer a “fatphobe.”
According to the authors, their findings contrast with previous research showing that celebrities and media coverage of their bodies can trigger body image issues and eating disorders, especially in young women.
However, their findings are published in the journal Social Sciences & Medicinethey added that fans’ interaction with Swift’s body image hasn’t always been positive.
They highlighted how fans still commented on their idol’s body, such as ‘she gained weight, she looks so happy and healthy now’, objectifying her body in a different way.
Researchers also noted that Swift’s famous “Anti-Hero” video led some fans to accuse her of “anti-fat” bias, adding another layer to the body image debate within the community fascinated by her.
Swift didn’t directly address the controversy, but he did alter the video by removing the word “fat” from the scale.
In a statement accompanying the study, Ms Pope and Ms Rose said they were inspired to research Swift’s impact on eating disorders and body image after seeing students idolise her.
According to the experts, their research had a number of limitations, including a lack of demographic data on the users behind the social media posts and comments they analyzed.
They also said they only analyzed posts and comments in English, so it was unclear whether the results would be similar for fans speaking other languages.
Charities estimate that 1.25 million Britons have an eating disorder, the vast majority (75 percent) of whom are women.
In the US, this number rises to 29 million, about one-tenth of the total population.