Taylor Swift is inspiring fans to overcome eating disorders according to study

Taylor Swift has it all. In just a few years, the American singer has become a pop icon with global influence.

This success has not been without its difficulties, as the young star has long struggled with disordered eating.

According to an American study, published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, her recovery has been a source of inspiration for fans with eating disorders.

Researchers Lizzy Pope and Kelsey Rose at the University of Vermont (UVM) came to this conclusion after analyzing 200 TikToks and Reddit posts, including over 8,300 online comments, about Taylor Swift, eating disorders and body image.

The singer opened up about her relationship with her body in her “Miss Americana” documentary, released in 2020 on Netflix.

 In it, she explains that for a long time she was ashamed of her figure, which led her to restrict herself when it came to food.

Taylor Swift also touches on this painful subject in some of her songs, including “Anti-Hero” and “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” raising awareness of disordered eating among her fans.

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Research

The researchers found that the singer’s loyal fans, the famous Swifties, are inspired by her healing journey.

Her example inspires them to seek out a more harmonious relationship with food and their own bodies.

“Our findings suggest that fans who felt highly connected to Swift were influenced to positively change their behaviours or attitudes around eating or their body image because of Swift’s disclosures and messages in her music,” says associate professor Lizzy Pope of UVM Nutrition and Food Sciences Department, a registered dietitian nutritionist, quoted in a news release.

In other words, Swifties see the 34-year-old singer as an example to follow.

Her story and her music inspire them to begin the process of overcoming their own eating disorders. But some fans are no less obsessed with thinness, tending to objectify Taylor Swift’s body and perpetuate this idea when talking about her physical appearance on social networks.

“Although in ‘Miss Americana’ Swift says I’m so sick of being objectified, and it’s driven me to disordered eating, the fans were still commenting on her body. Even if it was meant to be positive, fans would still comment, which means that they didn’t completely internalize her message of, ‘please do not comment on people’s bodies anymore,'”continues Lizzy Pope.

These findings show just how influential the American singer is among her fans. She has the power to encourage them to rethink their views on the cult of thinness.

“Taylor Swift can do more to change attitudes with a few sentences than we [dietician nutritionists] can do in our entire careers,” says Lizzy Pope.

Proof that the star’s influence is not limited to the world of music.

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