Research Exercise The Influence of Eating Disorder Websites

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You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in sequence.

Research Exercise

The Influence of Eating Disorder Websites

Eating disorders are becoming increasingly more common among adolescents. The Internet and social media—important facets of young people’s lives—cater to their curiosity and their general search for information. A growing number of pro-eating-disorder Web sites promote unhealthy eating and fad diets and encourage maladaptive behaviors and thoughts. Such Web sites are a cause of concern to many in the mental health and primary care communities. The National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) and the United Kingdom’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection command (CEOP) present current information on the influence of these pro-eating-disorder Web sites on youth vulnerable to their influences.

http://www.nedic.ca/know-facts/pro-eating-disorder-websites http://parentinfo.org/article/eating-disorders-and-the-internet

After examining the NEDIC and CEOP Web sites, consider the questions below. Then submit your responses.

1 of 5

Which of the following is NOT a reason to create a pro-eating-disorder Web site?

2 of 5

Pro-eating-disorder Web sites present eating disorders as:

3 of 5

According to CEOP, approximately how many males in the United Kingdom likely meet diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder?

4 of 5

How can parents get involved and reduce the effects of these pro-eating-disorder sites?

One possible answer is for parents to open up a dialogue with their teens, and to present appropriate resources and information that would provide an accurate idea of the risks of eating disorders.

5 of 5

The CEOP information suggests that hospital admissions related to eating disorders in the United Kingdom have almost doubled in the last three years. How might the Internet be related to this trend?

One possible answer is that exposure to these Web sites has brought attention to self-perceived flaws and made teens feel self-conscious. The teens then engaged in eating-disordered behavior to reduce anxiety about their body image.

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