It is a truth universally acknowledged that the kids are not doing all right. Typical teenage angst aside, there are problems aplenty for young, impressionable audiences to dwell on in this era: AI displacing jobs. The rise of social isolation. And then there is the discordant and thorny nature of body image in 2026—though it’s safe to say that this phenomenon is hardly limited to a specific age group.
“I’ve been modelling since I was 14. At 32, I’d say this is the lowest I’ve felt about myself,” admits Shania Tan, model and aspiring actress. “It’s funny because it feels like attitudes surrounding body-shaming have regressed as of late. What was once considered taboo is now socially acceptable. At a recent casting, I was informed that I wasn’t skinny enough for the role because my collarbones didn’t look prominent enough. I’ve always thought of myself as someone with a strong sense of self-confidence, but it was hard not to internalise that. Wasn’t everyone talking about loving yourself in every shape and size just a little while ago?”
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Although this shift in attitudes towards bodily autonomy may appear to have happened overnight, its roots were established years earlier. A pivotal moment came in 2021 with the growing public awareness of FDA-approved prescription medications such as Ozempic. Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, Ozempic quickly gained attention for its appetite-suppressing effects and became widely associated with celebrity weight loss. It was soon joined by other weight-management medications, including Wegovy and Zepbound, further reshaping public conversations about weight, health and body autonomy.
“It’s important to separate the medications from the cultural conversation surrounding them. GLP-1 medications are effective medical treatments for obesity as well as type 2 diabetes,” states Jessica Woodruff, an accredited nutritionist at New Leaf Counselling & Integrative Health. “It provides substantial health benefits when prescribed appropriately. However, their widespread visibility has also contributed to the perception that significant weight loss is quick, easy and desirable for everyone.”
A thin line
Bearing this in mind, it makes sense that people soon began to adopt a renewed mindset towards bodies and beauty standards. Public figures including Oprah Winfrey and Elon Musk were candid about their use of GLP-1 medications, sporting visible results in a short frame of time that further cemented the impression of weight loss being a painless, fuss-free reality. From this, a sense of glibness emerged. Words hurt, but if significant transformations were attainable at the snap of a finger, what was a pointed comment or two going to do to somebody?
“I began seeing signs of this change during the Wicked press tour [in 2025]. All everybody could talk about was how the cast looked, and there was all this speculation about how they were on Ozempic or part of a disordered eating cult,” remarks Tan. “It felt surreal, especially coming off the wave of self-love and body positivity. For years, everybody adopted this mentality of ‘embracing their curves’. Then everything changed.”
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All in the name of health
What is particularly difficult about this new form of thinness is the way it is being presented. In the past, there was little attempt to hide the purpose behind restrictive diets and juice cleanses. Kate Moss’s famous comment that ‘nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’, while misguided, sends a clear message: the goal is to look a certain way.
“Today’s version of ‘thinness’ is intertwined with medical treatments, social media algorithms and the wellness industry. It is often presented and rebranded under the guise of ‘health optimisation’, making it difficult to distinguish between evidence- based health advice and appearance-driven messaging,” explains Woodruff. “While the methods have changed, the underlying pressure to achieve a narrow body ideal remains remarkably similar.”
Clinical psychologist at The Psychology Practice, Sara-Ann Lee, is quick to agree, pointing out that the intense fitness culture of today may sometimes contribute to this phenomenon. “It is important to distinguish between health-oriented motivation and health-related preoccupation. Being motivated to engage in regular exercise, eat a balanced diet and take care of one’s physical health is generally adaptive and associated with both physical and psychological benefits,” Lee states. “The key psychological distinction is therefore not the behaviour itself, but the underlying motivation, flexibility and impact on functioning. Healthy behaviour supports well-being, whereas preoccupation with health behaviours at the expense of well-being may indicate that the focus has become maladaptive.”
What now?
All things considered, the key question remains: does this mean we have to accept this as our new normal?
Not exactly. A recent report from Reuters found that only 32 percent of people prescribed GLP-1 medications were still using them after one year. Many stopped because their weight loss had levelled off or because the treatment had become too expensive. At the same time, the body neutrality movement continues to gain momentum, and an increasing number of celebrities and public figures have spoken openly about the many side effects associated with these medications. Only time will tell as to how this will reshape cultural views surrounding thinness. One can only hope that we will land on softer, more forgiving ground.
Get your copy of the September ‘Beyond the New’ issue of Vogue Singapore online.
