Persuasive Essay : What Parents Need To Know About Pro-EDs

            The real-life venue that my essay would appear in is a parenting magazine.  It has been found that eating disorders are the most fatal psychological conditions, and that pro-eating disorder websites contribute even more to poorer prognoses. Every parent should care about the harmful effects that pro-EDs cause because many adolescents experience body dissatisfaction and partake in disordered eating.  Parents can help reduce and prevent damage caused by pro-ED use by simply monitoring what their child does on the Internet, and by not overlooking the numerous warning signs.

Since its conception, the Internet has proven to be efficient and useful in gathering multiple sources of information.  With a click of the mouse one can find numerous recipes for foreign delicacies, follow personal blogs of celebrities, and even obtain research for academic projects and papers.  The Internet is an entirely new world waiting to be explored.  But with all the beneficial, educational, and inspirational material that can be found on the Internet, there is also inappropriate and potentially dangerous information as well. 

            Recently, personal blogs supporting qualities of eating disorders have surfaced on the Internet.  These sites, frequently referred to as pro-ana or pro-mia, advocate for the recognition of eating disorders as lifestyle choices rather than for what they truly are: illnesses (Sue et al, 2010).  Tips and tricks for dieting, pictures of ultra-thin models known as “thinspiration,” and pro-ana creeds are some of the common themes found on pro-eating disorder websites.  These and many other aspects of pro-EDs are very harmful and even reinforce disordered eating.  Given the increased reports of body dissatisfaction among pre-teens and adolescents, it is a parent’s duty to monitor Internet use, and ensure that their children are not being taught to hate and destroy their beautiful bodies in hopes of obtaining impossible, and even deadly, weights and shapes.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder marked by the refusal to maintain a minimally normal weight for one’s age and height (Mashe & Wolfe, 2010).  Those suffering from the disorder often experience an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though they are in fact underweight.  Bulimia nervosa is another eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating.  Oftentimes those with bulimia eat excessive amounts of food within short periods of time, while experiencing a sense of lack of control.  As a result, those suffering from the disorder partake in compensatory behaviors including fasting, exercising, purging, and the use of diuretics, laxatives, and supplementary diet pills.

The self-starvation that characterizes the restrictive type of Anorexia nervosa has been linked to numerous physical complications including problems with the circulatory system, irreversible osteoporosis, and lethargy (Sue et al, 2010).  Those that struggle with Anorexia nervosa often times have weakened heart muscles and even exhibit cardiac arrhythmias.  The mortality rate for Anorexia nervosa has been recorded at 5%, but further research indicates it could be as high as 20%.  Bulimia nervosa comes with physical complications as well, although the disorder offers a better prognosis.  The excessive vomiting and use of laxatives that characterize bulimia contribute to the erosion of tooth enamel, dehydration, weakened heart muscles, and gastrointestinal disturbances.  

Numerous studies have been conducted in order to better understand what effects pro-eating disorder websites have on its viewers.  In an attempt to identify the correlation between pro-ED website use and eating pathology Bardone-Cone and Cass conducted an experiment (Rouleau & van Ranson, 2011).  Two hundred thirty-five healthy female undergraduate students filled out questionnaires prior to and following 25 minute exposures to one of the three researcher designed websites: a pro-ana website, a fashion website with average sized models, and a home décor website.  Participants who viewed the pro-ana website reported perceptions of being overweight, higher levels of negative thoughts, lower levels of self-esteem, and an increased likelihood of exercising or thinking about their weight.  A similar study was conducted by Jett, LaPorte, and Wanchism and it was found that pro-EDs also have the ability to transform behavioral intentions into actual behaviors (Rouleau & van Ranson, 2011).  Participants that viewed an actual pro-ana website significantly decreased their caloric intake by an average of over 2400 calories, whereas no significant change in diet was found among those in the control groups.

Pro-EDs reinforce eating pathology through tips and tricks that cover a range of themes including dieting, exercising, and calorie restriction.  Studies have shown that 96% of pro-ED website users report learning new weight loss and purging strategies from these sites, and 69% have reported actually using these strategies (Rouleau & van Ranson, 2011).  Competitions for thinness between users also occur, but many of those participating are completely unaware of the serious damage that such behaviors have on their health.

Along with reinforcing eating pathology, pro-EDs prevent help seeking and recovery (Roulaeu & van Ranson, 2011).  These sites strengthen eating disorder identities by praising self-starvation and weight loss, and attribute this “success” to self-control.  These sites also normalize side-effects that result from self-starvation, as well as provide tips on how to conceal eating disorders symptoms from family, friends, and health care professionals.  This information accounts for 11% of the tips found on pro-EDs.  Some of the tips include wearing nail polish to hide discoloration due to lack of nutrients, and doing everything one possibly can to weigh more right before a doctor’s appointment.

As numerous studies have shown, pro-eating disorder sites cause perceptions of being overweight, high levels of negative thoughts, and low levels of self-esteem in healthy individuals.  Since these blogs are personal, their creators are protected under the First Amendment, and cannot be forced to remove the damaging material.  Clearly attempting to block all inappropriate material is impossible, but being aware of what your children view on the Internet and knowing the warning signs of these dangerous eating disorders will decrease the likelihood of your child having severe body dissatisfaction or developing disordered eating.