Actress Kate Beckinsale has been branded “irresponsible” by parents of anorexic sufferers, after she claimed the eating disorder was the result of an unhealthy home life.
The “Underworld” star — a former anorexic herself — sparked controversy Tuesday when she likened sufferers of “anorexia, alcoholism and drug abuse in teens” to “crack whores.”
While Beckinsale, who was brought up by her mother following the death of her father when she was 5, was partly referring to her own childhood experiences, the 33-year-old’s comments have enraged relatives of anorexia sufferers.
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Without their parents’ knowledge, many adolescents with diagnosed eating disorders are visiting Web sites that encourage anorexia and bulimia, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics last month.
“Parents of pro-eating-disorder Web site users were more likely to know about these sites†– which provide “thinspiration†(images of extremely thin women) and reinforce disordered eating habits – than other parents, said Rebecka Peebles, one of the study’s authors and an instructor in adolescent medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine. “Still, over half the parents of these pro-eating-disorder Web site users didn’t know their own kids were on these sites.â€
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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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