Mukbangs and MyProAna

Mukbangs have become a popular topic of conversation among people with eating disorders. Numerous forums in online pro-anorexia communities such as My Pro Ana highlight mukbangs as a coping mechanism for anorexia.

My Pro Ana is a website “dedicated to the support or recovery of those suffering from eating disorders or body dysmorphic disorders”, but it seems more like a community intended to support anorexia instead of recovery.

Many users have posted discussion questions such as, “Anyone else here obsessed with mukbangs!? I watch them when I’m fasting. They make me feel satisfied for some reason” (Mollytv81, 2017), and “Is it weird to love watching mukbangs whilst restricting?” (Purestkind, 2018). Some discussions explicitly reference the virtual consumption of food. For example, “I have a habit of watching Mukbangs for hours when I get into bed, as I fast regularly, and it helps satisfy cravings. But, lately, I realized that I have become delusional and thought momentarily I had eaten the food myself! Like I have begun to feel guilty for watching someone eat. Has anyone else experienced this, or something similar?” (bvenus02, 2019). The confusion between virtual consumption and real-life consumption implies the dominant visceral feelings triggered by mukbang watching that enables food restriction for people with eating disorders. One of the responses to this prompt was in agreement with the author: “I like watching them and I don’t know why but they satisfy my cravings or at least lessen them to a bearable degree” (darkscience, 2019). Although these individuals do not understand the science and research behind how and why watching mukbangs influences their food restriction, they share similarities in how it impacts their mental state and real-life food consumption.

The dialogue surrounding mukbangs on My Pro Ana suggests its widespread impact on the anorexia community. Not enough people realize mukbangs’ potential impact on individuals who struggle with eating disorders.

If you are struggling with an eating disorder, please do not hesitate to receive support and resources by texting “NEDA” to 741741 to talk to a trained volunteer, or visit nationaleatingdisorders.org.