'Wannarexic' Girls Yearn For Eating Disorder

Valerie Bauman argues that wannarexia is commonly found among teenage girls, claiming to have anorexia or wish they did. She claims that many teenage girls want to become skinny for popularity. Bauman develops this claim by first investigating the rate of girls’ BMI’s decreasing and their popularity rising. She states the “phenomenon” is dangerous, because there are web pages and blogs promoting self-starvation.  Bauman illustrates how Dr. Richard Kreipe helped a young, wealthy, popular, woman who had anorexia overcome the illness; then had a young, middle class, not-so-popular, woman come in and ask how much weight she had to lose to become anorexic. She quotes Dr. Tom Kersting, saying that kids follow what others do, and the majority of wealthy, popular girls are skinny. Dr. Tom Kersting also states that the wannarexics are the girls who want to fit in. Bauman states that anorexics are not happy once they lose weight, so they keep going; unlike wannarexic who may be pleased by the weight loss. Dr. Kreipe claims that wannarexics will say they are not happy with their size after losing weight, but will go shopping for tighter outfits or swim suits; although, anorexics are more likely to wear baggy clothes, so no one can tell what their figure looks like. Bauman questions two people who are anorexic or wannarexic. Renee Cloe was wannarexic, and it started with a made-for-TV special on anorexia. She states she was never hospitalized or diagnosed, but did enter an unhealthy weight range. Cloe then states how she recovered and soon found herself binge eating or going on crash diets. Another person Bauman questioned was Josie Walls who has anorexia. Walls states that she is frustrated with the fact that girls want to have an eating disorder, and explains that people with eating disorders suffer. Lastly, the author explains the differences between anorexics and wannarexics. Valerie Bauman’s purpose is to show there is a phenomenon of teenage girls losing weight in order to become popular or fit in. This work is significant because there is not an outbreak of people with eating disorders; it simply is a cultural phenomenon.

Bauman, Valarie. "'Wannarexic' Girls Yearn for Eating Disorder." usatoday.com. Gannett Co. Inc., 04 Aug 2012. Web. 5 Oct 2012. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-08-04-wannarexic_N.htm>.