Taylor Swift's candidness about her struggles with body image and disordered eating has proven to be a game changer for many of her fans. According to Guardian, new research from the University of Vermont (UVM) shows that Swift’s openness has not only helped her fans feel understood but has also inspired many to positively change their behaviours and attitudes towards their own body image.

The study, published in the July issue of the Social Science & Medicine journal, analysed the top 200 TikTok and Reddit social media posts that discussed Swift, eating disorders, and body image. The posts contained more than 8,300 comments, providing a substantial data set for the researchers to draw their conclusions.

“Our findings suggest that fans who felt highly connected to Swift were influenced to positively change their behaviours or attitudes around eating or their body image because of Swift’s disclosures and messages in her music,” said Lizzy Pope, a registered dietitian nutritionist and associate professor in UVM’s nutrition and food sciences department.

Pope’s fellow registered dietitian nutritionist and study author, Kelsey Rose, a UVM clinical assistant professor, added: “Fans seem to take inspiration from the fact that Swift had recovered from disordered eating and subsequently appeared to be thriving.”