Jameela Jamil, ‘scary skinny’ celebrities and how to talk about it

Actress Jameela Jamil isn’t shying away from saying what many have been thinking: A “scarily thin” beauty standard “has taken hold of our society.”

As more and more celebrities undergo major body transformations, conversations with these sentiments are surging online.

“Bones in a dress,” one user commented on a red carpet video of a celebrity posted on Instagram. “Hope she’s not ill,” another wrote, while others simply wrote, “scary,” “skeleton” and “please eat.” People are fixating on celebrities of all kinds, accusing singers of body-positive anthems of being hypocritical, rolling their eyes at athletes promoting weight loss drugs and whispering about the thinness of their favorite movie stars.

Jamil, who has spoken about past struggles with disordered eating, is calling out the troubling trend of thinness in Hollywood. And dietitians are sharing concerns about malnutrition and muscle wasting.Still, we know that commenting on someone’s appearance – positively or negatively − can be harmful. So, should we be talking about bodies like this?Mental health experts say the short answer is no, but there are ways to have appropriate conversations about larger, societal concerns − it just requires a different, more nuanced approach.

Why people want to talk about ‘skinny celebs’

In addition to fans and colleagues like Jamil being “genuinely worried about my peers,” people are calling out these appearance changes in fear of returning to and normalizing toxic diet culture and only a certain (thin) beauty standard. 

“I am someone who is critical of the glamorization, normalization of eating disorder culture in the entertainment industry,” Jamil said in a video posted to Instagram in March.

She’s long been vocal about this issue, saying in a November 2025 TikTok post that, “all of a sudden, (people are) becoming so thin that you can see their ribs, you can see their hip bones jutting out … This stuff is really, really serious and it’s being hyper-normalized.”

Part of the tension right now is we’ve spent years moving toward body positivity and body neutrality and now it feels like we’re going in a different direction, according to Dr. Sarah Gupta, psychiatrist and medical director at mental health service platform Modern Health. And that direction is a retreat from the 2010 wave of size inclusivity that prompted brands to showcase more diverse bodies, increased conversations about fat acceptance and the normalization of imperfections like cellulite and stretch marks.

“The goal isn’t to ignore what’s happening, but to have the conversation in a way that supports health without creating more pressure,” Gupta added.

Others, including Jamil, have also pointed out how this shift can impact young people. “It’s setting an example for young girls who then think they are not normal if flesh grows on their bodies,” Jamil added.

And to critics who say she’s “skinny shaming” or “shouldn’t be commenting on women’s bodies,” Jamil pushed back.

“While I do appreciate that, I think that that is a disingenuous way to shut down a pivotal conversation about the fact that anorexia is the leading cause of death of any mental illness. This is really serious. This is life or death,” she said in her post.

Why body comments can still be harmful

While some celebrities have been open about using weight loss drugs − not to mention that the popularity of GLP-1s and their impact on shifting diet culture is impossible to ignore − the truth is, we don’t know what anyone is going through, especially those we don’t know personally.

Weight loss can be the effect of health issues, eating disorders and more. Mayo Clinic lists myriad potential causes for weight loss, including mental health as well as physical illnesses.

If someone is dealing with an eating disorder, sharing concerns that they look “too thin” or “scarily thin” can actually backfire, explains Sam DeCaro, director of clinical outreach and education at The Renfrew Center, which specializes in eating disorder treatment.

These types of comments will often “reinforce the eating disorder behaviors,” she explained.

Plus, it’s more likely a friend or stranger online will see or hear your comments − not the star in question.

“There are people who have good intentions who go into the comment section,” Decaro said, but added it’s our loved ones, including children, who are taking it in, and research suggests just reading an appearance-based comment, even if it’s not about our own bodies, can impact body image, she noted.

So how do we talk about it?

A more helpful approach is to zoom out, Gupta suggested.

“Instead of asking whether a specific person looks ‘too thin,’ we can talk about the broader patterns we’re seeing,” she said, including the “the rapid rise in the visibility of medications like GLP-1s and the messages they send when used outside of current clinical guidelines.”

“When the focus stays on individual bodies, even with good intentions, it can quickly become toxic and harmful.”

When approaching these conversations, Gupta suggests keeping these tips in mind:

• Avoid commenting on body shape or size. 
• Consider the bigger picture, including how drug companies market GLP-1s, who can and can’t access them and the role social media algorithms may play in their popularity. 
• Remember that GLP-1s are prescription medications that are only approved for use in people who meet specific medical criteria.  
• Remember what we say, in person or online, can affect how other people feel about their own bodies, especially young people. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with body image or eating concerns, the National Eating Disorders Association’s toll-free and confidential helpline is available by phone or text at 1-800-931-2237 or by click-to-chat message at nationaleatingdisorders.org/helpline. For 24/7 crisis situations, text “NEDA” to 741-741.