It is estimated that one out of four adolescent girls will develop eating disorder symptoms. The risk among these young women of eventually developing anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa or some other eating disorder is higher than among the general population.

Eating disorders afflict between eight and ten million people in the United States. The vast majority of victims eating disorders are women. Organizations such as National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) estimate that the ratio of women to men is 8 to 1.

The incidences of eating disorders have grown sharply over the past o decades. The growth is fueled by the pressure from the fashion industry and celebrities and media to thin the female form from round and curvy to stick-line and cadaverous.

Ironically, according to NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) tas the numbers of cases of eating disorders have sky rocketed, research remains terribly underfunded.

Demographics and The Internet

It is estimated that fully 80 percent of victims of eating disorders first display symptoms prior to twenty years of age. The members of the under twenty group are also a high users of the Internet web sites and social networking sites such as Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, and others.One social networking site hosts a pro anna social networking location that claims to have more than a million postings.

It’s no wonder that there has been a subculture identified as wannarexics. According to THE URBAN DICTIONARY a wannarexic is “Someone who wishes or pretends they have an eating disorder or deliberately goes out of their way to make it look like they have anorexia.”

These kids eagerly flock to pro anna and pro mia web sites. (Internet locations that espouse that anorexia and bulimia are life styles not mental illnesses.) Since these sites are usually created by anorexics or bulimics, they can be quite convincing. In addition they provide information on extreme diets, using laxitives, purging and other means to lose weights.

Many Parents are Extremely Naive

While their daughters are learning all sorts of nasty and unhealthy ways to lose weight online, many, perhaps the majority of parents are unaware pro anna or pro mia sites exist. This was shown in Stanford University study published in the Journal of Pediatric Medicine in December of 2008. One of the findings of the study was that more than 40 percent of the parents of children being studied had no idea their daughters frequented pro anna or pro mia internet sites.

Eating Disorders are About More Than Skinny… They are expensive, chronic and deadly.

Anorexia kills more of its victims than any other mental health problem. Eating disorders are chronic diseases that affect women into their senior years, and kills many other. The cost for therapy and inpatient care can easily be $30,000 a month and therapy can run $100,000 or more. The cost in pain, suffering and money to victims and their families is staggering.

Most parents are vigilant about their children frequenting online sites where pedophiles may lurk or where there is pornography. There is software that helps them keep their youngsters from straying to these sites. Unfortunately, there is no software that protects kids from pro anna and pro mia sites. In addition many of these online locations are so cleverly disguised that when one reads the first paragraphs or the home page they make the site seem legitimate.

Parents should check the history on the computers that their children use. If they see any suspicious sites they should discuss it with their children, and if they suspect their child is displaying symptoms of eating disorders they should get professional help. Make sure the health care professional is experienced in dealing with eating disorders. Something Fishy or ED Referral are two web sites that provide listings of therapists and institutions that specialize in eating disorder treatment.

Some Hints On How to Tell if a online location is pro anorexia or pro bulimia.

If a web site discusses starvation diets, provides advice on how to use over the counter medicines such as laxatives to lose weight, you can be pretty sure it is a online location that is pro anna or pro mia. Also, most sites run by reputable organizations will not show photos of semi nude or nude anorexic women… meanwhile those that you need to worry about will and do post such photos.

There are even online locations that discuss how to fool parents to prevent them from suspecting one has eating disorder symptoms. These discussions provide information on how to make your parents think you aren’t losing weight, what to do with the results of purging, and so on. There are even locations where one can find discussions of what internal parasites one might take to become thin!

INDICATORS OF EATING DISORDERS

Being extremely thin is not necessarily an indication a child may be suffering from an eating disorder. Unexplained weight loss can be a sign of other health problems. So a good place to start is with a physical by the family doctor.

Parents should become more alert and look for symptoms of eating disorders.

In fact, a downward and unexplained weight loss over a period of time could be a sign of other health problems.

If a child or teen has an unexplained downward loss of weight one should consider making appointment with the child’s medical doctor for a complete physical examination. Also prior to the examination the parents should be on the lookout for other signs of eating disorders.

There are a range of symptoms and activities that the sufferer of eating disorders will exhibit. Symptoms. Not all victims display all symptoms but here is a list of some symptoms that ANAD suggests can be indicators of eating disorders.

Abnormal weight loss

Refusal to eat, except for tiny portions

Binge eating

Vomiting

Abuse of laxatives, diuretics, emetics, diet pills, and other over the counter and prescription medications.

Denial of hunger

Excessive exercise

Distorted body image: see themselves as fat even though they may be so thin they are emaciated

Depression

Preoccupation with food

Absent or irregular menstruation in women

Rotted teeth from vomiting

Many times the sufferer will deny she has a problem and attempt to disguise the symptoms.

It is not unexpected sufferers learn how to hide their symptoms or weight loss online.

For example, one web site provides more than 40 tips on how to hide anorexic and bulimic behavior.

How Parents Can Fight this Growing Online Menace

Support organizations such as NEDA or ANAD. The mission of organizations such as these is to fight eating disorders and raise awareness of these chronic diseases. Work with your local PTO or PTA because there is evidence that eating disorders rank almost as high as alcohol problems among middle school and high school students.

Also be alert and vigilant and talk to your daughter/son about healthy body image. A home environment that does not obsess on diets and thinness can help your child better put life in prospective and dwell on more important things.