These sources spread dangerous misinformation about what is perceived as “healthy” habits. They can encourage unhealthy eating habits and body image ideals that actually can contribute to developing an eating disorder.
To help combat their influence, it is essential to understand why the messages these sources promote are so unhealthy and unhelpful.
What Does It Mean to Be ‘Pro Anorexia’?
Pro-anorexia content promotes the misconceptions people with anorexia nervosa have about their bodies and encourages behaviors that are considered to be disordered eating, which can lead to the development of an eating disorder, such as anorexia. Pro-anorexia websites might:
- Encourage people to be thin or lose weight
- Provide tips for how to achieve the “perfect body”
- Show support for unhealthy behaviors or thoughts, such as not eating for an entire day
- Shame people with other body types or eating habits
Unintentional “Pro-Ana” Content
While a YouTube video, blog, or website may not intend to spread content that promotes disordered eating behaviors, the messages they send idealize harmful behaviors and body types that are unrealistic. This can lead to developing anorexia. For example, some blogs about dieting or “healthy eating” may focus on achieving a certain body type or size. They may present this body type as the “ultimate” goal, an achievement everyone should be striving for.
Where Does ‘Pro Anorexia’ Content Come From?
Pro-ana content can come from different sources, including:
- Other people struggling with eating disorders who may have distorted views about the “right” way to live
- Well-intentioned but misinformed outsiders
- People who are simply willing to profit from content that is popular among those with anorexia nervosa, even when that content is inaccurate and dangerous
A notable gray area is online communities for people with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders.
These forums are often presented as safe spaces for people to discuss issues related to their conditions. They can help people feel less alone, provide support, and offer advice for making positive life changes.
But these communities can also proliferate misinformation about eating disorders, especially if not adequately policed by moderators and admins. They can turn into echo chambers for the unhealthy and unhelpful thoughts of people who still need a lot of help with their recovery process. Unfortunately, this can do more harm than good.
Where Do People Find This Information?
Pro-anorexia content is common on social media.
As much as 29.3% of all videos on YouTube that touch on the topic of anorexia include at least some type of information that could be considered “pro-ana,” according to one study.1 And it’s not uncommon for these pages to gain large followings among people who struggle with AN.
29.3% of YouTube videos that talk about anorexia include pro-ana content.1
Many websites use algorithms to detect the type of content a user wants. Once someone enters a search term, these programs will “predict” what else a user might want to see based on their search history and the type of content similar users have been engaging with.
In some cases, even people searching for healthy treatments for anorexia nervosa may be exposed to misinformation and toxic content. The algorithm may detect that they’ve been looking at similar topics to those searching more “pro-ana” content and send them in that unhealthy direction.
Why Is Pro-Anorexia Content So Harmful?
People tend to seek out information that aligns with their belief systems. This is sometimes referred to as an “echo chamber.”
This term describes a common online phenomenon in which people seek out digital spaces that largely reinforce or confirm the ideas they already have and reject or ignore any ideas that may contradict that worldview.
Rather than receiving their information from informed, reputable sources, people with anorexia or those who may be at risk for developing the eating disorder may be exposed to content that primarily supports what they already believe about their bodies and other unhealthy thoughts and behaviors.
This type of harmful content can exacerbate many of the feelings that underpin anorexia and other eating disorders, including low self-esteem and poor body image. What’s more, it can lead to more serious consequences, such as thoughts of self-harm.
How to Spot ‘Pro-Ana’ Content
It’s critical to learn how to determine what constitutes helpful, accurate information online when it comes to something that can be potentially life-threatening, such as anorexia nervosa.
One of the best ways to tell a good site from a bad one is to pay attention to its sources.
Scientific studies and established, reputable news sources will likely have the most helpful information and accurate details.
If a piece of content doesn’t cite any sources, you may still be able to get an idea of how trustworthy it is from the main website hosting it.
Some apps or websites have policies against harmful content, including pro-ana videos, memes, and posts. These sites will work to remove any related content as quickly as they can.
Still, some content can slip through the cracks, even on the most well-intentioned websites. And some pro-ana users will also work around algorithm or moderator searches by intentionally misspelling words, such as “thynspiration” instead of “thinspiration.”
It’s nearly impossible to have any type of online experience that isn’t at least partially dictated by predictive algorithms. However, it is possible to curb the effect they may have on your social media feed and search results.
YouTube offers the option to turn off autoplay, which can reduce unhealthy suggestions or prevent users from falling down a pro-ana rabbit hole.
Facebook allows users to see “Most Recent” content on their news feeds, which generally consists of posts from friends, family, and real people, as opposed to the default “Top Stories” option, which promotes brands and advertising that can be tied into predictive algorithms.
It may also be possible to select certain settings on other apps and websites that help reduce the influence the algorithm has on what you see.
Finding Help for Anorexia Nervosa
If you or someone in your life is struggling with anorexia nervosa, engaging with pro-ana content can lead to more harm.
Within Health offers personalized remote eating disorder treatment backed by years of experience.
Within’s IOP and PHP programs offer meal kit deliveries, a numberless scale, a convenient app to attend therapy sessions and view your schedule, and so much more.
Call for a free consultation
Anorexia and other eating disorders are complex mental illnesses that can have very serious, sometimes fatal medical complications if left untreated. They do not go away on their own and require highly specialized treatment. With all kinds of misleading and harmful information out there, such as “pro-ana” content and pro-eating disorder websites, people often don’t realize they have a problem.
Seeking help from a mental health professional is the first step toward a truly healthy relationship with food and your body.
Resources
- Syed-Abdul S, Fernandez-Luque L, Jian WS, Li YC, Crain S, Hsu MH, Wang YC, Khandregzen D, Chuluunbaatar E, Nguyen PA, Liou DM. (2013). Misleading health-related information promoted through video-based social media: anorexia on YouTube. Journal of Medical Internet Research; 15(2):30.