CBSNews is also talking about thinspiration and sites: “Kids Learn Harmful Behavior From Pro-Eating-Disorder Web Sites And Recovery Web Sites”
Teens with eating disorders are picking up dangerous tips from both pro-eating-disorder Web sites and sites designed to treat the problem, according to a new study.
And though most of their parents know about the pro-eating-disorder Web sites, few sit down and talk to their kids about them.
The so-called “pro-Ana” Web sites — shorthand for pro-anorexia — offer tips on extreme weight loss and purging. They suggest that believing one can’t be too thin is a lifestyle choice, not an eating disorder. The sites often offer strategies for avoiding detection by parents and doctors when purging. Site forums allow teens with eating disorders to share tips and offer support.
These sites usually carry “thinspiration” pictures — sometimes shocking images of extremely thin young people.
How much do teens with eating disorders and their parents know about these sites? In an effort to find out, researchers surveyed families of patients age 10-22 treated at Stanford University’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.
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