Pro‐eating disorder websites: facts, fictions and fixes

This paper aims to review what is known about the risks associated with visiting these websites and provides recommendations for dealing with pro‐eating disorder material.Design/methodology/approachRelevant peer‐reviewed papers were located by means of searching three online journal databases, and through carrying out reference checking

Helen Sharpe; Peter Musiat; Olivia Knapton; Ulrike Schmidt

2014

Scholarcy highlights

  • Pro‐eating disorder websites are online communities of individuals who do not consider eating disorders to be serious mental illnesses requiring treatment
  • This paper aims to review what is known about the risks associated with visiting these websites and provides recommendations for dealing with pro‐eating disorder material
  • Relevant peer‐reviewed papers were located by means of searching three online journal databases, and through carrying out reference checking
  • There is evidence for the harmfulness of pro‐eating disorder content on the internet, there is no clear indication that such sites promote the development or maintenance of eating disorders
  • This paper provides an overview of the research in this field and discusses possible ways in which health professionals and the general public may respond to the existence of these web sites

Need more features? Save interactive summary cards to your Scholarcy Library.