Influencer’s death prompts alarm over beauty norms, public pressure in Türkiye
ISTANBUL
The death of a Turkish social media influencer from anorexia nervosa has ignited debate over the deadly impact of unrealistic beauty standards, with experts and women’s rights groups warning of a growing public health crisis in Türkiye driven by social media, celebrity culture and societal expectations.
Nihal Candan, who rose to fame through a television competition show and was later jailed in a money laundering case, died on June 20 after her heart stopped for the second time during treatment.
She had reportedly dropped to just 23 kilograms at the time of her death.
Anorexia nervosa is a psychological disorder marked by extreme fear of gaining weight and avoidance of eating, often affecting young women.
Doctors and mental health professionals say the rise of eating disorders is closely linked to distorted body image trends promoted on social media platforms.
Taha Can Tuman, a psychiatrist, pointed out that social media postings that “promote unrealistic beauty ideals and filtered, photoshopped images, models attempting to resemble dolls and the film industry” all influence society’s perception of beauty.
This can ultimately lead to body dissatisfaction, shame and an increased risk of disorders like anorexia and body dysmorphic disorder, according to Tuman.
Professor Barış Erdoğan, a sociologist, highlighted the societal pressure on women to conform to beauty norms.
“Those who meet beauty ideals are rewarded socially and economically, while others face exclusion. This turns physical appearance into a form of capital, but also fuels collective anxiety and health problems,” he warned.
Women’s rights groups echoed similar concerns following Candan’s death.
In a statement on social media, the Turkish Federation of Women’s Associations (TKDF) said the widespread promotion of “perfect body fantasies” and the constant pressure to appear beautiful has become deadly.
It stressed that TV programs and beauty contests that commodify women push them to take life-threatening risks, emphasizing that this is not merely a personal tragedy but a reflection of deep-rooted structural inequalities.
