If something is associated with glamour or celebrity, it sells.

It isn't rocket science, the fashion business continues to grow richer at the expense of the death of our innocent girls (and boys).

I think only legislation will force change.
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I agree that these pro anorexia site (Pro Ana) aren't ideal. However, when an anorexic surfs the net they are more likely to search to a pro ana site or a "thinspiration" site, that for free online counselling to recover from their disorder. I've looked at several pro ana sites and they aren't as bad as people think. They have warnings to recovering anorexics, not to enter the site as they may be "triggered" into falling back into old habits. These sites do provide starvation tips, but many warn that you have to eat something as soon as you feel dizzy or ill, or you have to stop as soon as you see blood in your vomit.

True, these sites aren't ideal. But banning them won't help at all. It's the images that the media force feed us every day, telling us how we should look, that are the major influence in today's generation of anorexics. And until the fashion industry decides to take action, it would be far safer for an anorexic to take advice from an "ana" site and atleast be practicing anorexia as safely as possible, than for the sites the be banned and them to have no idea, and end up killing themselves.

Hope that makes sense.
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PS. Jomamo, your avatar is making me feel chubby
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Children need to be taught from an early age that their size is not everything, and they need to have confidence instilled from parents, teachers and the media
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I think measures should start at home, but with today's family structure being so, well, disjointed, such things are left up to the rest of society to deal with.

Education — like anti-smoking education — is necessary. Documentaries or advertising about how ugly and frail and ill anorexics become might help (a la Isabelle Caro).

But, so much of a girl's impression of "beauty" is thrust on her by the fashion industry (try and change that — according to the French couture federation, the shape and size of fashion models cannot be regulated). The fashion industry infuses itself into just about everything a young woman is interested in. Who do you go to so that changes in that industry start to happen?

Then there is the social aspect. Suddenly, we are hearing about the problem of overweight children and diet, diet, diet. A young insecure women who has little self-esteem is pressured to be skinny by the industry, and now, by those concerned about obesity. Fat isn't cool, it isn't pretty, it isn't desirable, and it isn't healthy — and all that filters through is "I must get skinny."

Then, there is the self-esteem issue. Skinny models aside, the pressures of school, the pressures at home (particularly with a single-parent or blended home), well, some girls think that that is the one and only thing in their life THEY are in control of (while not realizing they are at the effect of a disease.) How does society deal with the the adolescent pressures to "grow up," and "excel at school" that are imposed upon children younger, and younger?

Because there are so many pressures out there, I'm not so sure society can take the measures, or at least effectively. I think it has to be on the small scale — the home, parents, relatives, friends, and….teachers.

No doubt you see the number of questions at Y/A "how do I make myself throw up after eating….?" and the like. For some reason, even with 100s of respondents that say DON'T DO IT, and all the good reasons why, Y/A DELETES these questions. So, Y/A could be a start to social responsibility by not shoving the issue under the carpet (if the question isn't there, it won't exist, and the poor girl asking the question will miraculously be cured.)

Sorry…that really doesn't offer much in the way of solutions, does it?

ADDED: OMG! Here is a link to one of those sites — notice how depressed and unhappy these girls are…

http://community.livejournal.com/proanorexia/
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