Healthy habits or damaging diets: an exploratory study of a food blogging community.

This exploratory study describes the virtual socialization, behaviors, and attitudes being promoted in one community of food bloggers. Two months of entries from 45 blogs created by young women belonging to a photography-based food blogging community were analyzed and coded using a qualitative approach. Analysis revealed widespread group practices as well as the promotion of attitudes and behaviors associated with dietary restraint. The present study highlights the need for further research using food-blogging communities, and concludes with a cautionary note about blogs as sources of health information in view of the consequences of dietary restraint.