Who knew a short clip from a 2014 episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills would start a viral discussion eight years later on a social platform that didn't exist then? No one, but that's what recently happened, and it sparked a huge discussion on TikTok and parenting forums all over. If you've been hearing the term "almond mom" and you aren't sure what that is — or if you are one — here's everything you need to know about the term.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline at 1-800-931-2237 or text text “NEDA” to 741741 to be connected with a trained volunteer at Crisis Text Line.
Where did the term ‘almond mom’ come from?
The term almond mom goes all the way back to 2014, when Yolanda Hadid of Real Housewives fame was on the phone with her daughter, supermodel Gigi Hadid. On the call, Gigi told her mom that she's not feeling well, and her mom offered her some advice.
"Have a couple almonds and chew them really well," she suggested to her daughter, who was a teenager at the time.
Obviously it's terrible and dangerous advice, and when a TikTok user shared a clip of that conversation to the platform, it went viral. Not only did it call out Yolanda and her "advice," but it had other people sharing their own experiences of being parented by an "almond mom."
What is an ‘almond mom’?
While the reality show clip may seem silly, it's anything but for many people who grew up with similar messaging from their parents. The video clip went viral and sparked a huge discussion on TikTok. It also started a movement to call out the unhealthy and damaging messages we tell our kids about food, diet, and body image.
The hashtag #AlmondMom has taken off and brought forward a term for parents stuck in diet culture and perpetuating the damaging messaging they likely heard growing up as well. This messaging can quickly and easily replace the internal dialogue of their kids, which is a quick pathway to disordered eating.
What are the dangers of being or having an ‘almond mom’?
A 2015 study from Common Sense Media reported that children 5 to 8 years old "who think their moms are dissatisfied with their body are more likely to feel dissatisfied with their own bodies," NBC News notes. And there are dozens of studies and surveys just like that.
Some people are comparing the dangers of being an almond mom to orthorexia, which is disordered eating that disguises itself as "healthful" eating. Although it's not formally recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, according to the National Eating Disorders website, it can do significant damage to a person's well-being.
"Like anorexia, orthorexia involves restriction of the amount and variety of foods eaten, making malnutrition likely," the website explains. "Therefore, the two disorders share many of the same physical consequences."
People are speaking out against 'almond moms' and sharing their own stories
A TikTok user who goes by Dr. Karla, noting in her profile that she's a pediatrician, says that although it seems like almond moms are worried about their kids' weight, it's not really about their kids.
"Almond Moms are addicted to the pursuit of thin privilege and get a dopamine hit by subsuming their child in their disordered eating," she wrote in one video on TikTok. "The child's weight is completely irrelevant."
Reading through the comments section of the videos tagged with #almondmom includes a host of first-hand stories of people who grew up with a similar mom.
How can you tell if you are an 'almond mom'?
Charlene Johnson shared a video on TikTok saying she was relieved when she heard Hadid's comments because it helped her realize how her comments could harm her daughter.
"I think there are definitely two types of almond moms," Johnson said in a video. "There's the almond mom who made comments about her own body, her own body image, and her daughter's…and everything was about being thin…and then there's almond mom light."
Her "confessions of an almond mom" had her take a look inward at some of the messages she was saying around her kids, which perpetuated the cycle of diet culture and negative body image.
The topic certainly resonated both on TikTok and off. So far, videos on TikTok tagged with #AlmondMom have been viewed nearly 8 million times, and it's clear this conversation has been a long time coming.
How can parents help their kids struggling with disordered eating?
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, the best way a parent can help a child who has signs of disordered eating is to learn as much as you can — including some long-standing myths — and remind the person that they have people who care about them and support them.
The organization also has a comprehensive guide to help parents who are navigating disordered eating with their kids, which is a good place to start.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline at 1-800-931-2237 or text text “NEDA” to 741741 to be connected with a trained volunteer at Crisis Text Line.
