As a connoisseur of all types of visual media, I am constantly noticing the latest trends. From polka dots and chia seeds to clean-girl makeup and trench coats, new hyper-fixations and fads are always popping up. However, this extends beyond fun fashion choices or food experiments, especially with the rise of social media. New trends about dieting, under-eating, and weight loss have gained significant traction, creating unhealthy and unrealistic expectations. The obsession with weight loss, in particular, is directly reflected in the media, especially Hollywood. While healthy weight loss can be a great way to eat clean, exercise more, and ultimately create a better mental and physical space, the resurgence of dangerously thin body types has been dominating red carpets and social media feeds over recent years. While the body positivity movement in 2018 saw inclusion and diversity on runways, big screens, and billboards, the culture has significantly changed to the point where it feels like we are recycling the same toxic skinny culture that plagued the early 2000ās.Ā
The Rise of Ozempic
The return of this culture can be closely tied to the emergence of weight loss drugs such as Ozempic. Created to lower blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes, the drug has become so popular as a weight loss āhackā that there have been shortages for people who truly need it to survive. Additionally, consumption has been significantly promoted through social media. Even in a joking manner, the idea of āwanting Ozempic allegationsā or sarcastically wishing for the drug, a stereotype is created that permeates the need to be skinny in order to āfitā into society.Ā
Not only does this spread a toxic narrative, but it also spreads false truths about the āglamorousā facade of Ozempic and all other GLP-1 medications. Dave Asprey, a health and nutritionist and author, says that while these medications provide quick fixes for people demanding noticeable results, taking them can cause you to lose not only fat but also large amounts of muscle. So much muscle, in fact, that scientists compare the loss to that of severe starvation, making it incredibly difficult to ever regain the muscle lost and live a healthy lifestyle.Ā Ā
Hollywood’s skinny culture
The drastic increase of celebrities and influencers supporting or buying into this weight loss craze furthers the unhealthy standards being circulated, and the lack of size diversity sends the message that there is only one size: thin. Between videos about achieving the perfect āballet bodyā, or bragging about forgetting to eat, the perpetuating cycle of exposed collar bones and sunken eyes can only be casually excused for so long until it becomes less about respecting peopleās bodies, and more about being scared for their health.Ā
This knife-edge walk of being mindful of what individuals are going through and expressing concern is a dangerous line to tread, but how long can we continue to ignore the fact that society is losing unnatural amounts of weight before stepping in? For example, at the 2025 Primetime Emmys, the late great Catherine OāHara walked the red carpet. Having lost a significant amount of weight, critics and magazines complimented her appearance, what nobody knew was that she had been diagnosed with cancer almost a year prior, resulting in her losing weight. The fact that the standard of severe weight loss has been so explicitly promoted that no one thought to show concern for the actress āinstead praising herā shows how much society has devolved.Ā
I completely understand and agree with the concept of not commenting on people’s bodies, as you never know what anyone is going through. However, when the standard of being so skinny you look ill is plaguing Hollywood and rapidly spreading outward, there comes a point at which it becomes unacceptable to do nothing. The big question is, have we reached that point yet, and how long will society stand by and watch unhealthy habits deteriorate populations before stepping in?