Pro-ana

Pro-ana, short for promotion of anorexia, refers to the promotion of behaviors related to the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. Pro-ana groups vary widely in their approach: some present themselves as supportive environments for people managing an existing eating disorder, while others reject the medical classification of anorexia as an illness, framing it instead as a lifestyle choice deserving of respect. A recurring feature of pro-ana communities is thinspiration, or thinspo, visual content depicting very thin individuals ranging from naturally slender to severely emaciated. The scientific and medical establishment recognizes anorexia nervosa as a serious psychiatric condition, and research cited in the article states that it carries the highest mortality rate of any psychological disorder.