Eating Disorders Blog

An investigation into British-based pharmacies found that some were selling the powerful weight-loss product Alli online to people who were underage, and in some cases were suffering from eating disorders.

BBC’s Watchdog programme [sic] found [pharmacy company] Boots sold the drug to a schoolgirl online while both Boots and Lloyds Pharmacy sold Alli to a recovering anorexic over the web. When the drug was sold in branches of the chemists, patients’ height, weight and BMI were checked – and if underweight they were refused the tablets. [Source: Daily Mail]

But online, those wishing to buy the product could lie about their weight and BMI. Lloyds has since tightened its process. Alli is considered something close to a “miracle drug” by some, because of its ability to help people lose weight. Opponents, however, warn that the pill interferes with the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and could lead to deficiencies.

Labels: weight-control, internet

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Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in partnership with the Stanford University School of Medicine has conducted the first-ever large-scale analysis of pro-eating disorder websites. Many sites were found to have an odd mix of both weight-loss and recovery tips.

“The paper reports on 180 Web sites that were found using search terms such as ‘Pro-ana’… The researchers evaluated each site’s basic logistics; accessories such as interactive forums or calorie counters; themes (including control, success and perfection); ‘thinspiration’ images, tips and techniques for weight loss; and recovery information. They assigned each site a ‘perceived harm’ score based on their assessment of how harmful the site would be to users.” [Source: MediLexicon]

About one-quarter of the sites scored high on the “perceived harm” scale, while most fell somewhere in the middle. Interestingly, most of the site recognized eating disorders as illnesses, and about one-third of them offered recovery information.


 

Labels: pro-anorexia, internet

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

A study out of Johns Hopkins University is analyzing the content of over 150 websites that promote anorexic and bulimic behaviors. Researchers hope the information will help them better understand the influence such sites have over people who are developing, or have, eating disorders.

“The lead author of the study, Dina L.G. Borzekowski, an associate professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Health, Behavior and Society, is in the final phases of completing another study that explores the effects of pro-eating disorders websites on young people.” [Source: The Baltimore Sun]

Pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia websites remain particularly problematic in the effort to combat eating disorders. More than 90 percent of the sites reviewed contained dangerous and damaging material, and even some interactive features that allowed people to calculate their body mass index and the number of calories they eat in a day.

Labels: pro-anorexia, internet, pro-bulimia

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

Tens of millions of young people have Facebook accounts. They post status and relationship updates, share funny videos and upload pictures. Some, however, have second – secret – accounts where the videos are about weight loss and the pictures are “thinspiring.”

“There seems to be a Facebook group for every sub-section of disordered eater: Ana/Mia Anonymous (‘mia’ is the ‘cute’ short-form of bulimia); I’m Not Anorexic, I Just Only Eat on Tuesday; and Christians with Eating Disorders.” [Source: CanWest News Service]

Unfortunately, these groups don’t encourage people to get help for their eating disorders. Rather, they encourage people to embrace their dangerous, sometimes deadly habits. Parents are encouraged to keep an eye on their kids’ Internet activities and start asking questions if they notice something unusual or potentially dangerous.

Labels: pro-anorexia, internet, pro-bulimia, social networks

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment

In a country where more than 1.5 million people are struggling with eating disorders, psychiatrists are calling for change. This week, as London’s Fashion Week gets underway, British psychiatrists are demanding the government do something about pro-anorexia websites.

“Encouraged by social networking sites like Facebook and ‘thinspiration’ websites, growing numbers of Britons are looking online to get tips on how to starve themselves or hide extreme weight loss, says the Royal College of Psychiatrists. ‘(These) websites normalize illness,’ said Professor Ulrike Schmidt, chair of the college’s eating disorders section.” [Source: Reuters]

In a report released this week, the College is calling for government intervention as part of its larger strategy to protect children from being exploited via the Internet. An estimated one out of every ten girls looks at pro-eating-disorder websites. The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) says its working to address the problem.

Labels: pro-anorexia, internet

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment