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The viral hashtag has since been deleted by the platform, and the search term \"legging legs\" now redirects to resources for those struggling with eating disorders.

TikTok has not yet responded to ABC News' request for comment on the trend.

\"PHOTO:
STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images
PHOTO: Two sportswomen wearing leggings during workout on stairs.
>

A 2023 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, and shared on the National Library of Medicine website, found that excessive or obsessive social media use \"may be a risk factor for body image dissatisfaction and associated eating disorders.\"

Another study published in the same journal in March 2021 showed that \"widespread use of social media in teenagers and young adults could increase body dissatisfaction as well as their drive for thinness, therefore rendering them more vulnerable to eating disorders.\"

Similar studies and analyses have found a possible link between social media use -- particularly exposure to \"pro-eating disorder content\" and trends like \"fitspiration\" and thigh gaps -- and increased risk of eating disorders or unhealthy behaviors, especially among those with \"pre-existing body image concerns.\"

Additionally, ABC News previously reported that the negative influence of some social media content is largely owed to the amount of social comparisons that often come with engagement on the platforms, according to Andrea Vazzana, a child psychologist who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders in children, adolescents and adults at NYU Langone Health.

According to Vazzana, there has been an increase in younger individuals -- specifically tweens as young as 9 and 10 years old -- suffering from eating disorders.

\"This may be correlational data, but we're seeing people joining social media platforms at an earlier age as well,\" she told ABC News in March last year.

While social media platforms can't always preempt the rise of certain unhealthy trends, several of them have taken steps to combat content that promotes eating disorders and body dysmorphia.

In 2021, TikTok added new features to its short-form video hosting service to help raise awareness around eating disorders and offer help.

\"Starting this week, when a user searches for #edrecovery #proana or other phrases related to eating disorders, we'll provide access to the BEAT Helpline where they can find help, support, and information about treatment options. We'll also provide tips we developed with eating disorders experts on how to identify negative self-talk, think about one's own positive attributes and strengths, or support a friend who may be struggling,\" the company stated in a blog post at the time.

Last year, YouTube also put new policies in place that prohibit content that features \"imitable behavior\" for \"at-risk viewers,\" such as videos that show people restricting calories. YouTube also set age restrictions on any content discussing disordered eating, offering users mental health resources alongside those videos.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, also provides users with resources to cope with eating disorders or body dissatisfaction.

\"While we don't allow content that promotes or encourages self-harm and eating disorders, we do allow people to share their own experiences and journeys around self-image and body acceptance. We know that these stories can prompt important conversations and provide community support, but can also be triggering for some. To address this, when someone tries to search for or share self-harm related content, we currently blur potentially triggering images and point people to helpful resources,\" the company wrote in a 2021 blog post, adding that it had also introduced \"new resources specific to body image issues\" to help intervene early, before search results for such topics are ever shown.

If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at 1-800-931-2237 or NationalEatingDisorders.org.

ABC News' Melanie Schmitz contributed to this report.

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