There was a time when anorexia and other eating disorders were secret problems. Even when diagnosed, an eating disorder might be covered up by family to avoid attention.
The Internet has pulled back the curtain on eating disorders. One of the positive benefits is the availability of reputable medical websites that educate the public about the causes and effects of eating disorders as well as treatment methods. At the same time, dangerous websites that support eating disorders have invaded the Internet and led to the formation of pro-ana (for pro-anorexia) and pro-mia (for pro-bulimia) online support communities.
Pro-ana and pro-mia support communities view eating disorders as lifestyle choices. They use the Internet to provide information related to starving, vomiting and the use of laxatives. Instead of referring to eating disorders as self-destructive, these “pro” sites portray starving and purging as acts of strength and self-control. They provide tips on how to fool family, friends and doctors about eating habits. The sites also publish “thinspirational” (or “thinspo”) photos of ultra-thin actresses and models.
Pro-ana sites also publish “reverse-thinspo” images of overweight people as motivation to stay thin. Celebrities who are seen as overweight (even when they’re not) are vilified. The Huffington Post recently reported on a website called SkinnyGossip.com that called Kate Upton’s bikini photo on the cover of Sports Illustrated a symptom of America’s “plus-size fixation” and described Upton as having “the lazy, lardy look.”
Created and followed for the most part by young women who are suffering from eating disorders, many of these websites claim to support recovery. However, their content sends quite a different message. “Anorexia is a Lifestyle, not a Disease” reads the masthead of one pro-ana blog where young women post their calorie intake for the day and write about their self-disgust following a binging episode. Some websites refer to Ana and Mia as people, personifying them as imaginary friends. “Ana and I are hand in hand – lying, manipulating and deceiving the world around us like to brilliant partners in crime,” reads a post on one website.
Many eating experts believe that these sites encourage those with eating disorders to stay ill. The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) has initiated a Media Watchdog program to voice concerns about dangerous media messages related to eating disorders. NEDA is working with social media platforms like Tumblr and Facebook to develop policies that prohibit posts that promote or glorify self-harm. Both Tumblr and Pinterest have pledged to remove content that could trigger an eating disorder among those who are susceptible. In direct response to concerns about the promotion of eating disorders on social networks, NEDA has launched Proud2Bme.org, a website dedicated to enhancing body image and