Is Your Teen Vulnerable to Pro-Ana Coaches and Social Media Content?
- Lisa S. Larsen, PsyD
- Aug 31
- 3 min read
Teens and young adults with eating disorders like Anorexia Nervosa often hide their disordered eating from others. This can make teens especially vulnerable online. On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, predatory individuals exploit young people’s struggles by posing as “pro-ana coaches.” The online environment of social media that glorifies disordered eating sets the stage for vulnerable young people to reach for unattainable standards and become dangerously thin. For minors, this secrecy can make it harder for caring adults to notice and intervene. This post explains the phenomenon and offers guidance for supporting a teen at risk.
What Are Anorexia Nervosa and Atypical Anorexia Nervosa?
Anorexia Nervosa (commonly called Anorexia) is both a medical illness and a mental health disorder. It typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood and may start with a wish to be healthier. However, it escalates into severe food restriction, distorted body image, and an intense fear of weight gain.
People with anorexia may restrict food intake or binge and purge, and often also struggle with depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal. While those with Atypical Anorexia share the same symptoms and risks, their weight may remain within the “normal” range—making it easier for others to overlook the danger.
Pro-Ana Social Media Content: Fertile Ground for Pro-Ana Coaches
Teens who aspire to be thinner may follow influencers who glorify extreme thinness and present eating disorders as a lifestyle rather than a life-threatening condition. Instead of encouraging recovery, these influencers normalize self-destructive behaviors.
For people with eating disorders, there is no “enough” when it comes to thinness. Even after reaching a target weight, dissatisfaction persists. According to researchers Gale, Channon, Larner, and James (2016), pro-ana sites and accounts may feel supportive but validate unhealthy beliefs and behaviors, reinforcing the endless, unattainable pursuit of thinness.
While not always overtly predatory, pro-ana content sets a dangerous stage, normalizing disordered eating and drawing teens deeper into their illness.
Pro-Ana Coaches: Predators Disguised as Mentors
More disturbing than pro-ana content are individuals who pose as “coaches” to exploit vulnerable teens. These adults may promise support in achieving thinness but are often sexually, emotionally, or financially abusive. Some demand payment; others coerce teens into sending sexually explicit photos in exchange for “guidance.”
They often request “body check” photos—sometimes of body parts unrelated to weight—and use them for exploitation or distribution. Many teens later regret sending intimate photos, experiencing shame and humiliation when images circulate beyond their control.
Research by Simons, Noteboom, and van Furth (2024) outlines how predators groom their victims:
Gaining trust through a seemingly supportive relationship.
Requesting or demanding nude photos.
Increasing pressure to comply with harmful demands.
Using blackmail with explicit material.
Escalating toward in-person meetings.
These interactions exploit teens psychologically, sexually, and emotionally, worsening the eating disorder while trapping the victim in a cycle of control and abuse.
What Parents and Loved Ones Can Do About Pro-Ana Coaches
Supporting a teen with an eating disorder is incredibly difficult, especially when their online behavior adds new risks. Parents often feel more alarmed by the illness than the teen themselves, making open dialogue critical.
Talk openly and calmly about their eating habits and online activity. Ask who supports them, what they consider supportive, and the names/ages of their online contacts. Express concern without anger or accusation.
Model healthy attitudes toward weight and body image. Avoid criticizing your own body or praising eating-disordered behaviors like restriction or extreme self-control.
Affirm their worth in ways unrelated to appearance, helping them see value in their talents, character, and relationships.
Seek professional help. You can get feedback about your teen's eating and find out what level of intervention may be necessary. For moderate to advanced severity EDs, family therapy with an eating disorder specialist or treatment in a dedicated ED program may be necessary.
Though alarming, awareness is the first step in protecting teens from both the illness and the predators who exploit it. If you're concerned about your adolesccent, teen therapy can help. Please call me or click the button below.
References:
