Pro-Eating Disorder Websites Send Dangerous Messages

Scores of disturbing websites are making it seem acceptable for teens to become — and stay — dangerously thin. According to a new study, teens are frequenting "pro-eating disorder" websites, often without their parents' knowledge.

The study surveyed families of 10- to 22-year-olds diagnosed with eating disorders (EDs) over a 7-year period. It analyzed the results of anonymous surveys from 182 people who answered questions about pro-eating disorder websites and pro-recovery sites.

Pro-eating disorder sites are online communities that condone — and even promote — EDs such as anorexia nervosa (starving to be thin) and bulimia nervosa (habitual binge eating and purging, also called vomiting). Content on these sites — sometimes called "pro-ED," "pro-ana" (referring to anorexia), or "pro-mia" (bulimia) sites — often includes message boards, chat rooms, weight-loss tips, and pictures of emaciated women (called "thinspiration"). The study, published in the December 2006 issue of Pediatrics, claims that some of the sites "promote eating disorders as a lifestyle choice, not an illness."

Pro-recovery sites are also online, and aim to provide information about the disorders and how to get better, though the information may not always be accurate.

Among the approximately 36% of patients who had logged on to pro-ED sites:

• 96% discovered new ways for losing weight or purging
• 69% actually used the weight-loss or purging methods they'd learned about
• 64% found out about diet pills, laxatives, or supplements

More than 40% of the patients had visited pro-recovery sites, with almost half of those saying they had learned new techniques from these sites, too. A quarter of the patients had visited both pro-ED and pro-recovery sites — these patients ended up being hospitalized more than those who didn't visit either type of site.

Of the parents surveyed for the study, more than half knew about pro-ED sites, but just as many did not know whether their child had visited one. And more than 60% of moms and dads did not know about pro-recovery sites.

What This Means to You

Valuable information is available on the Internet, but so is unreliable — and even dangerous — content. It's important for parents to be aware of this potentially harmful content and to know what sites their kids are visiting and using, as much as possible. Keep the computer in a common area, spend time together online, and find out what, if any, online protection is offered at school or other places where kids can use computers.

If you're worried that your child may have an eating disorder — because of warning signs like excessive weight loss, rapid weight fluctuation, compulsive exercising, or obsessing about the caloric content of foods — approach your child in a loving, supportive, and non-threatening way.

An eating disorder isn't just a behavior that can be controlled — it's a medical condition that requires professional medical attention and treatment. Discuss your concerns with your doctor, who can help you figure out whether there's a problem, and how to approach your child about it.

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: February 2007

Source: Jenny L. Wilson, BA, Rebecka Peebles, MD, Kristina K. Hardy, PhD and Iris F. Litt, MD; Pediatrics; December 2006.

Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

© 1995-2008 The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.