How to Change Your Algorithm: More Curiosity, Less Diet Culture
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who works in eating disorder prevention and recovery, I pay attention to what we're learning about social media.
A 2026 systematic review of research involving young adults found that six of seven included studies reported a positive association between social media use and eating disorder symptoms or diagnoses. The authors also noted that the evidence base is still relatively small and that most of the included studies were cross-sectional, so we need more research to understand exactly how these relationships work. (Fomínová et al., 2026).
I'm not completely against social media. It can offer connection, community, creativity, humor, and genuinely helpful information.
(Said while placing a wooden spoon across a pot of boiling water to keep it from boiling over. Thank you, Instagram.)
But my own clients, and some curious researchers, are increasingly showing that what we see on social media matters, and the way platforms personalize what we see matters, too.
Your Algorithm isn’t Neutral
It learns from what you watch, search, save, follow, and linger over.
Creators and audiences are only part of the equation.
In a 2024 study comparing the TikTok feeds of people with eating disorders and healthy controls, researchers analyzed more than one million videos delivered by TikTok algorithms over a one-month period. The algorithms serving participants with eating disorders delivered substantially more appearance-oriented, dieting, exercise, and eating-disorder-related content than those serving healthy controls. Stronger algorithmic bias toward this content was also associated with greater eating disorder symptom severity. (Griffiths et al., 2024).
Importantly, this study provides preliminary evidence that content personalization may contribute to eating disorder symptoms. It does not establish that TikTok caused participants' eating disorders.
Still, the findings are worth paying attention to.
Eating disorders don't come out of nowhere. They develop within a culture that constantly gives us messages about which bodies are acceptable, which foods are "good" or "bad," and what we should be doing to change ourselves for "the better."
If your feed repeatedly reinforces those messages, that noise can become another voice competing with your own body, values, intuition, and wisdom.
Changing your algorithm isn't a cure for an eating disorder.
But it can be one way to become more intentional about the voices you allow into your daily environment.
Sometimes, changing what your algorithm serves you is a surprisingly powerful place to begin.
How to Teach Your Algorithm Something New
You don't have complete control over what a social media platform shows you. But you can participate in shaping your digital environment.
1. Clean House (Don't “feed” the feed)
When a post about weight loss, calorie counting, body transformation, or appearance-based "wellness" shows up, you don't have to engage with it just because it makes you angry, curious, or uncomfortable.
If your platform offers "Not interested," use it.
Scroll past.
Mute.
Unfollow.
Block if needed.
And remember: you don't have to hate-watch.
2. Give it something else.
Search for something completely unrelated to bodies, food, weight, or exercise.
Try:
CURIOSITY
history • science • books • nature • weird facts
CREATIVITY
art • music • ceramics • cooking • design
CONNECTION
community • friendship • humor • people doing meaningful things
JOY
animals • comedy • beautiful things • delightfully ridiculous videos
VALUES
justice • compassion • faith • service • environmental care • whatever matters to you
ALIVENESS
adventure • travel • learning • sensory experiences • trying something new
You don't have to replace diet culture with another set of rules about what you're supposed to consume.
What interests you?
3. Put intention into your attention
When you find something you genuinely enjoy, stay awhile.
Follow creators you want more from. Save things you want to come back to. Share something that makes you laugh. Search for subjects you're curious about.
You're giving the platform information about what you want to encounter. This is not about perfectly controlling the algorithm. It is empowering you to participate in shaping your digital environment.
Your feed doesn't have to be another place where you pursue perfection or learn how to have a better body. Let it be a place where you get to be a curious human.
Need some inspiration?
Here are some corners of the internet that people in the On the Brink community have been enjoying.
This list will keep changing (last updated 09/23/2026)
CURIOSITY
Parnassusbooks (independent bookstore)
CREATIVITY
The_oblivious_mind (intuitive abstract art)
Delacremstudio (chic watercolor illustrations)
Saratane (private chef & recipe developer)
JOY
Amysedaris
Poorlydrawnlines (comics)
Kylacobbler (Irish stand up comedian)
VALUES
Annelamott (author, activist, sunday school teacher)
Blairimani (Historian & educator)
Periodmovement (a global, youth-powered non-profit fighting period poverty & stigma through advocacy, education, and service)
ALIVENESS
Womenwhoexplore (Empowering women through adventure + travel)
Blueskylearningto (Neuroaffirming coaching & therapy)
Bodyimagewithbri (Body image support)
Lucybyoga (Yoga teacher)
Know an account that makes the internet feel a little more human?
References
Fomínová, V., Sebalo Vňuková, M., Anders, M., Kitzlerová, E., & Trávníčková, E. (2026). The association between social media use and eating disorders in young adults: A systematic review. Journal of Eating Disorders, 14(1), 170. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-026-01653-3
Griffiths, S., Harris, E. A., Whitehead, G., Angelopoulos, F., Stone, B., Grey, W., & Dennis, S. (2024). Does TikTok contribute to eating disorders? A comparison of the TikTok algorithms belonging to individuals with eating disorders versus healthy controls. Body Image, 51, 101807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101807