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> There are numerous sites and social media pages on all the major platforms that literally promote anorexia. Although probably a just cause I'd say that the w

> There are numerous sites and social media pages on all the major platforms that literally promote anorexia. Although probably a just cause I'd say that the western world does have an obesity problem though, not an anorexia one. So a better example would be all the sites encouraging people being lazy and fat and eating junk while labelling anything criticizing the unhealthiness of obesity as supposedly engaging in "fat shaming". I mean: even using the term "fat shaming" is encouraging fat people to stay fat. And that's promoting eating disorders IMO. So: fighting anorexia, sure. But we got bigger fishes (literally) to deal with if the (laudable) goal is to fight eating disorders.

dTal 2y ago
>the western world does have an obesity problem though, not an anorexia one It has both, and they are linked. It is a false ontology to place them in opposition, just because one is "too fat" and the other "too thin". It's also very arguable that obesity is the "worse" problem. Yes it causes negative health outcomes, and is more widespread, but anorexia is more immediately and dramatically harmful, even fatal, and disproportionately affects teenagers during a critical growth phase, often causing irreversible disfigurement.
- 0xcde4c3db 2y ago
  Also, it's become pretty clear that anorexia embodies a particular kind of dysfunctional dynamic between body perception and diet (one that is gaining recognition in other forms of dietary restriction, as sometimes seen in e.g. athletes and people obsessed with various categorizations of "natural" or "pure" foods). The vast majority of obese people aren't building an elaborate system of memes and rituals to force themselves to overeat because they look in the mirror and see themselves as thinner than they really are.
jfengel 2y ago
The anorexia problem is part of the obesity problem. Young girls (and increasingly, young boys) see all the pressure to be skinny and at the same time are surrounded by food designed to make them fat. They respond by swearing off food entirely. They are terrified of becoming fat, and literally see their bodies as fat even as they are about to die of starvation. Fixing the numerous causes of obesity would definitely help. But it's not made easier by the existence of "pro-ana" social media which encourages young anorexics to reinforce each other's dangerous attitudes to food.
jackvalentine 2y ago
I do agree with you and some of those binge eating/fat acceptance pages came to mind.

dTal 2y ago

>the western world does have an obesity problem though, not an anorexia one It has both, and they are linked. It is a false ontology to place them in opposition, just because one is "too fat" and the other "too thin". It's also very arguable that obesity is the "worse" problem. Yes it causes negative health outcomes, and is more widespread, but anorexia is more immediately and dramatically harmful, even fatal, and disproportionately affects teenagers during a critical growth phase, often causing irreversible disfigurement.

0xcde4c3db 2y ago
Also, it's become pretty clear that anorexia embodies a particular kind of dysfunctional dynamic between body perception and diet (one that is gaining recognition in other forms of dietary restriction, as sometimes seen in e.g. athletes and people obsessed with various categorizations of "natural" or "pure" foods). The vast majority of obese people aren't building an elaborate system of memes and rituals to force themselves to overeat because they look in the mirror and see themselves as thinner than they really are.

jfengel 2y ago

The anorexia problem is part of the obesity problem. Young girls (and increasingly, young boys) see all the pressure to be skinny and at the same time are surrounded by food designed to make them fat. They respond by swearing off food entirely. They are terrified of becoming fat, and literally see their bodies as fat even as they are about to die of starvation. Fixing the numerous causes of obesity would definitely help. But it's not made easier by the existence of "pro-ana" social media which encourages young anorexics to reinforce each other's dangerous attitudes to food.

jackvalentine 2y ago

I do agree with you and some of those binge eating/fat acceptance pages came to mind.