Pro-Anorexia Messaging On Web, In Teen Mags

It’s National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Amazingly, in recent years, Eating Disorders (ED) have gone from disturbing to almost glamorous. Given the user-driven content of the internet, pro-anorexic websites have provided millions with tips and the tools to achieve unhealthy behaviors. In response to these “support groups,” social networking sites are being forced to monitor their group pages.

Given Facebook’s popularity among the teen/college crowd, one would naturally think first to look there for pro-“ana” sites, right? (ana is slang for anorexia) Well, no, not me. As an avid F’book user, the option never crossed my mind. Given I’m not looking to join a pro-ana site, but I didn’t even think Facebook had them!
B-eat, an eating disorder charity is calling on MySpace and Facebook to do something about the pro-anorexia groups. As of right now, both social networking sites remove content that is seen as “dangerous”, or could encourage young people to do dangerous things, but these groups until now have been left untouched. Research shows that young women exposed to pro-ana websites feel more negative, have lower self-esteem and are more likely to compare their bodies with other women, reports BBC News.

To take matters into my own hands, I picked up my detective badge and went straight to …. Facebook. I searched the groups with the keyword “pro-ana.” Someone apparently made a group called Pro-Ana but it’s actually in support of a friend named Ana, who is apparently super nice and has friends who lack something most of us have, common sense. My search for pro anorexia provided more accurate results, yielding 49 groups.
Apparently there are 1,386 members of the “Facebook to remove pro-anorexia and bulimia groups” Group, which is great and all, but still isn’t a pro ED group. I found one group with 16 people that claims it is pro-ana… hardly a “community.” “Get Thin or Die Tryin’” has over 2,000 members. Their community appears to be fairly tight however it is not exactly pro-ana, but rather they want to end discrimination against thin people. Here is an except that I actually think is pretty funny:

“PURPOSE: TO END DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THIN PEOPLE!
Thinspiration: We love Gisele Bündchen and Kate Moss!
**IMPORTANT: PLEASE DO NOT post pro- eating disorder content. We are strongly against these practices. You will be deleted and banned. The title is a spin on 50 Cent's album Get Rich or Die Tryin'. For people who actually take the name seriously, they really need psychological counseling. There's no substitute for common sense. We also do not care to be politically correct.
Would you assume that a group called "Get Rich or Die Trying" is intended for suicidal CEO wannabes? Why does "Get Thin or Die Trying" - one word of difference - imply that we're goddamn anorexics?-Laura LeGault!”

Now, I did find one group that had less than 100 members but no real posts. The only post was from a journalist who carelessly gave out a few websites that provided pro-ana info. For my sake, thank you but I refuse to post the site given I do not want a young girl looking for sites of this nature and stumble upon it through my blog. Some journalist, huh? I will give you a little excerpt though:

“This is a pro-ana website. That means this is a place where anorexia is regarded as a lifestyle and a choice, not an illness or disorder. There are no victims here.”

In regards to social websites serving up social responsibility, what about message boards that are hosted on some of the most popular teen magazine websites? The boards at one teen fashion magazine (which will remain anonymous) were worse than any group I found on Facebook. These boards provide anonymity to the users. They were easy to find on the magazine’s website, and the category for fitness read more like a book of “thinspiration.” I can honestly tell you that I worked hard to find pro-ana groups on Facebook and failed to find anything that was harmful. Maybe a few girls like to be thin, and say it loud and proud. My thoughts in regards to Facebook are that it is public and people can see you are a member. Most girls who are suffering don’t really want their friends to know. Therefore maybe they will look at the tips but won’t join. I’m not an expert, but a message board on a national magazine’s website was extremely simple to find. In fact, the tips were listed under the “Fitness Category.”

In response to B-eat’s request that Facebook and MySpace take these groups down, I ask, “Is this a problem we should be seriously concerned about given its little existence?” Facebook has much worse groups and they are not revealing any dangerous tips from what I found. (DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional search engine but a girl on a mission). B-eat should call out teen magazines, who more so promote eating disorders with their monthly articles obsessing about image and weight. I have one magazine in particular I am thinking about that I feel has an obligation to make some changes in order to act more socially responsible. They are professionals and should be looking out for the betterment of their readers. With almost 2,000 threads and 17,000+ posts, one board reads like pro-ana website. And oh yeah, I’m talking about Teen Vogue.
***
I wrote this article yesterday and today I just checked the boards at Teen Vogue and here is one of the most recent post:

WARNING: to all new users.
Posted: Feb 25, 2008 10:08 PM
STAY OFF THE FITNESS FORUMS
there is a 99.9% chance that after being on here for a while, there will be a change in your eating/exercise/body image.
seriously, no joke
it doesn’t seem like it, but these forums will honestly mess with your head.

Looks like the problem is finally being noticed. Will the magazine take action?

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Kirstie's Mission: Make Fat America Fit Again

THE ALLEY DIET… By now you've heard Kirstie Alley will no longer be working for Jenny Craig. She is however looking to create her own diet program! Hopefully by now, you have all seen my YouTube video, "Sarah Fights Back." If not, click here. By the way I love reading people's comments on my videos, regardless if they bash my body or praise my resilience. Kirstie wrote to People.com on her new venture and here are my favorite points:

The weight-loss field is wide open and not immune to new ideas and improved solutions for the fat problems that plague many of us Americans every day. I want to create something new that will help millions of people end the seemingly never ending fatty-roller coaster ride. I am especially passionate about seeing to it that our next generations are not struggling with the same weight issues that my generation has struggled with.

There was a time when America was not fat, and that was in our not-so-distant past. I'm confident that I can create something exciting and innovative: something that if all goes well, will help change a fat America back into a fit America and will offer this country the healthiest, yummiest, easiest and most effective weight-loss program on the market.
[People.com]

Really? Seriously? You're going to do that? My first problem with this is that I am probably more qualified than Alley to tell people how to lose weight. Is she a dietitian? Did she even go to college? I wasn't aware that there were any diets out there to be categorized as innovative or exciting. But then again, I think I'm a pretty creative person. I'm going to create my own weight-loss program. Then I'm going to go on tour around America to make sure they do it so that I can CHANGE America and its fat ways. If Kirstie Alley can, so can I! And that people, is my American dream!

NO HASSLE! We knew it wouldn't be long before another celebrity was gushing about how they lost their baby weight, and sure enough as luck would have it, we bring you Elisabeth Hasselbeck. While appearing at J.C. Penney's launch of the American Living clothing line, the View co-host showed no signs of giving birth just three months ago. However unlike some of the other lucky celebs, Hasselbeck works hard for her body. "I've been working out like a crazy women!" she admitted. "Lots of hard work. I'm trying." She adds that exercise is something she always looks forward to. "That's my vacation," she explained. "Are you kidding? That's the only time I get to myself. [My personal trainer] is like, you get to run six miles today. And I'm like, thank you!" [People.com]

Slim and Sexy Spring Break Workout Video: Part 2

CUUR, The New Golden Child Of Diet Pills

Every now and again, advertising campaigns seem to go overboard. It’s like that overplayed song you’ve developed a reflex for… a reflex to quickly hit the radio control and change the station immediately. Except in this case it’s TV and sometimes you’re too lazy to find the remote. A couple weekends ago, I got an unusual urge to hit the gym. Luckily, there was an MTV Made marathon on the little TV sets. It seemed like every commercial break there was a mini infomercial for a new dietary supplement called CUUR. Beautiful tall and blonde bikini-clad women were hanging out and showing off their hot bods. They were promoting what seemed to be a diet pill. The Diet Diva is an investigative journalist wannabe so I took matters into my own hands and did a little research on this TV ad I watched what felt like 10 million times in the span of an hour.

What they say: CUUR is an all-natural, clinically tested weight-loss supplement consisting of four botanical extracts, designed to help you achieve your weight loss goals. Use it and say goodbye to jitters, an upset stomach and hunger pangs – side-effects associated with many other diet aids. Turns out that celebrity trainer Valerie Waters recommends CUUR to her hottest Hollywood clients (celebs like Jennifer Garner) who are required to get into shape for movie roles, Red Carpet events and the ever-present pack of paparazzi.

Waters notes, “I recommend CUUR to my celebrity clients because it helps to suppress carbohydrate and sugar cravings, which are oftentimes responsible for weight gain in those typical problem areas. CUUR has no side effects and promotes healthy weight loss.”

Clinically tested, CUUR comes to the US market from Sweden. It should come as no surprise then that CUUR is known to many as “The Swedish Secret.” Green tea, one of CUUR’s primary ingredients, is no secret to the world of weight watchers. But it’s the proprietary blend of other natural ingredients (yerba mate, birch leaf and coleus forskohlii) that makes CUUR a success for those who use it.

Bottom line: The people at CUUR say that when combined with a healthy eating and exercise plan, CUUR can help you lose up to 47% more fat than diet and exercise alone! The diet plan is pretty standard and easy to follow. The “recipes” are easy to whip up; they don’t require tons of ingredients. The fitness plan is pretty easy to follow as well!

Now here’s what your pal, The Diet Diva, says: With so many diet supplements out there, my initial instinct was to shout, “To hell with them all!” However, last year when I went to the Sundance Film Festival, I was handed a sample of CUUR. I did what any dieter would do and tried it out. I admit I didn’t do much research at the time which doesn’t sound very professional given I work at Diet.com.

However, with the ad campaign heavily promoted during my favorite guilty pleasure (I just love Made!) I took the next step. When I took CUUR, I didn’t exactly follow the plan given, but I can tell you that I did not have any side effects. I had plenty of energy to exercise after work, and my abnormally strong sweet tooth was suddenly slumbering. I, of course, still had some sweets out of habit, but in regards to cravings, CUUR I believe really helped reduce them… at night when I most need the help. I’m a healthy diet and exercise type gal, but if you have a difficult time saying no to things like cake and pizza, I would definitely recommend giving CUUR a try. It’s not going to cause your appetite to vanish, but it may help will your self-control.

If you’re interested, the CUUR people are currently running a promotion on their website. Give it a look. Since they claim the product will help you lose 47% more body fat, you can get 47% off retail price of their product. Pretty nifty huh? Simply go to their website and type in the code word “bikini.” Best of all, they offer a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied!

Lastly: This is just my personal experience with CUUR. You should always talk to your doctor before taking any dietary supplement. CUUR has not been reviewed by the FDA. Naturally here is the official disclaimer on the box:
These statements have not been evaluated by the food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease. :)