France Bans Pro-Anorexia Sites and Blogs

The fact is, neither is better than the other. To think that anorexia is better than obesity is absurd and, frankly, sad. Media supports anorexia, and doesn't support obesity. And you know what, if someone is trying to prevent millions of little innocent girls from thinking they're not good enough because they're not a size sero, kudos for them. And also, America is the only country having a real problem with obesity. So think before you speak next time. Or before you type, I guess.

Obesity is not an eating disorder or a disease. I do agree it is a huge problem, but not in the same catagory as anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders. There are ways to treat obesity medically. There is no cure or easy recovery path for a person suffering from anorexia. Ask the person posting previously (dona) how "minor" her suffering is. Please do not pass judgement until you are more informed.

The statistics on eating disorders are so high it is scary...don't be fooled by what you see. Most women and girls, along with a large portion of men and boys in society are secretly battling an eating disorder and yet look 'healthy' to the naked eye. Even many people at the gym or famous athletes are engaging in what is called anorexia athletica. Many bulimics are actually what you would probably consider to be overweight due to the body's need to retain calories and fat for survival because of the frequent vomiting. Then you have the anorexic that retains weight also out of the body's need to survive. Then there is the anorexic that does lok thin but appars 'normal' now because of fact that society has rewritten what looks thin. Along with this there is dual diagnosis: those that are afflicted with both alcoholism and an eating disorder, what happens here is that the alcohol replaces the calories enough to survive (for a period of time) without much or any food, and it can be difficult to detect what this person is doing. Then there is the bulimarexic who suffers from both bulimia and anorexia...and yes, obesity is an eating disorder too...but a well known eating disorder therapist has done much research in the area of obesity and the media and has found that the obesity statistics are not as high as the media would like us to think...she found that the main financial source for obesity statistics is the billion dollar diet industry. These slanted statistics that are funded by this industry are as far reaching as a newspaper and a college textbook...this is not to say that obesity isnt an issue, it is just that the rate is not as high as the diet industry and the media would like us to think. also, the more people mess up their metabolism through dieting the more eating disorders and weight gain we will see, thus continuing the 'need' for diet products...and just in case you decide to come back with a retort that people need to get over themselves I will also add that the reasons behind eating disorders (including obesity) are extremely far reaching. and painful-things running as deep as childhood trauma,rape, assault, etc...and the eating disorder is a way to deal with the pain for these individuals..I suggest that you take a look at some of the deaths of models from eating disorders that are barely heard about in the media on about.com and also you tube which should clear up any misunderstanding for you...

Obviously no one has ever told you what the next step after obesity is......like duh

I agree that bulimia, anorexia, etc are all very important and should not be thought of as an unimportant problem, but I do feel otherwise about obesity. Having a few extra pounds on your body (as I do) is not the same as being obese. Several people in my family are severly obese and fight with their food addiction every day and it is very similar to the way bulimia and anorexia work. It is psychological and an operation wont fix the problem, also my sister had the very "simple" operation and later died from complications. I think the other person domut boy did not put things correctly: anorexia and bulimia are terrible terrible eating disorders, but I wouldn't look at obesity in a nice way either. They are all about control thats it.

oh i agree!! Whoo for France!! What courage and strength that takes to stand up like that. I Applaud them, and respect their decision of the highest.
Pro Anna serves one purpose, (coming from a previous sufferer of the disorder myself) To support Anorexia, And that IS Wrong.
The world needs to grow and start seeing the beauty in all different types of women. Its so hard for young girls to have the immense pressure to be 'sickly thin..' It is awful on them..
I find France to have done a noble and wonderful thing..
Girls with eating disorders should just support each-other in being healthy, or at least 'living a 'semi' healthy' lifestyle..

Pro Anna websites DO NOT incourage girls to relax down a bit on their eating disorders: They give them ammunition to go stronger and harder.. Sure they dont tell eachother they are "fat", they tell each other, "Oh no, oh my gosh, you are SO much skinnier than i am, look at all this fat i have on my sides," FIshing for complements for themselves, and Sadly, giving the other girl the encouragement she needs in an vague and ambiguous way to continue to become Skinnier. As twisted as it is, thats just the mind of an eating disorder.
No matter what girls may say to cover up, pro anna does Not save lives: it ruins them.. It almost ruined mine. and trust me, i still struggle with it.

People with eating disorders are Not Victims. ESPECIALLY Pro-Anna users: It is a Choice. But, people with Eating Disorders are usually very sensitive to their surroundings and have a hard time coping, in thus they consider themselves 'victims'. Unless they are so malnourished to the point their brain isnt functioning properly: they have the choice.
no matter what anyone says, they have the choice. I was hospitalized for my eating disorder, than continued treatment for another two years after. I fought everything, i lived pro anna and played every trick in the book, almost being hospitalized two other times except I begged not to be. Honestly; i should have been.. What i am saying is that when i choose to stop loosing weight: as hard as it was, i did it. I prayed and that was it. (After my hospital experiences i Still have massive fears of doctors.)
So in the end, Eating disorders are like infections, the more you spread it, the more people get infected. Pro Anna is Not what eating disorder 'personas' will tell you it is. They are lies. Pro Anna encourages ED.
I apologise if i offended anyone with my entry, i mean not to displease.
I fully support France, they are very noble for their act. God Bless.

I'm sorry but you're nuts, and this is exactly why legal action is coming up against this type of site. I was disgusted the first time I saw on of them about 5 years ago. The information posted on these sites is nothing but harmful, and encourages getting deeper and deeper into your eating disorder, not helping anyone as you insist.
There are other avenues for reaching out and they are NOT hosted by sites that advocate living off of lettuce and then putting in your mouthpiece and trachtrube in to vomit up the ten calories you ate that day, followed by smelling a sugar-free gum wrapper for dessert... THAT'S AN ACTUAL POST, not me trying to be funny. It's a severe mental health issue and it needs to be dealt with NOW. Not to mention the 'look' they encourage so many to model themselves after is absolutely nasty... I couldn't find you one guy who is into that type of figure on a female... and I know a LOT of guys.