article: France today voted to punish anyone who 'incites' people to become dangerously thin with prison  and huge fines. In a drastic step which will be studied closely in Britain, MPs particularly highlighted the irresponsibility of fashion websites which encourage women to keep their weight as low as possible. Now these ‘pro-anorexia’ sites will face a year in prison and a fine equivalent to just over £7,000. Deputies in the National Assembly in Paris voted through the amendment to a law on public health and it is expected to be rubber-stamped by the Senate. Scroll down for video . Unhealthy: French MPs have voted to punish anyone who 'incites' people to become dangerously thin with a year in prison and fines of up to £7,000 weeks after rejecting  a ban on super-skinny models . It singled out those who 'provoke people to excessive thinness by encouraging prolonged dietary restrictions that could expose them to a danger of death, or directly impair their health.' Around 40,000 people suffer from anorexia in France, the vast majority women and teenage girls. Maud Olivier and Catherine Coutelle, the MPs who proposed the law, said in a joint statement that 'certain sites known as pro-Ana can push people into a vicious circle of anorexia and authorities cannot do anything about it.' They said the new law was not designed to threaten 'freedom of expression on the Internet', but was a long overdue health reform. Anorexia has one of the highest mortality rates of a psychiatric disorder and is extremely difficult to treat. In March, MPs in France rejected a proposal that would have seen ultra-slim models banned from the fashion runways. However, the MP behind the planned law has vowed the fight is not over. At the time, Olivier Veran said: 'I believe that models should eat well and look after their health. French socialist politician Olivier Veran (pictured) has vowed to continue the fight to ban ultra-thin models from the catwalk in France . 'This is an important message to young women who see these models as an aesthetic example'. He also proposed a new law that punish the 'glorification of anorexia', especially online. France's National Union of Modelling Agencies (SYNAM), has complained that new laws could harm the competitiveness of French modelling. A SYNAM statement read: 'French modelling agencies are in permanent competition with their European counterparts. As a result, a European approach is needed.' The French legislation comes after countries including Spain, Italy and Brazil have all clamped down on skinny models at catwalk shows. Spain has barred models below a certain body mass index from the Madrid fashion shows, while Italy has insisted on health certificates for fashion show participants. And Brazil is considering demands to ban underage, underweight models from its catwalks. Medical experts around the world have warned against the dangers of ultra-skinny catwalk models, and images airbrushed to make girls look thinner, which they say encourage anorexia in girls as young as six. Fashion guru Giorgio Armani said recently that the fashion industry had a duty to 'work together against anorexia'. He added: "The industry has to recognise the link between its preference for abnormally thin models and the growth in eating disorders among young women.' French restaurants are to be banned from offering free fizzy drinks refills to customers. MPs in the National Assembly voted to back the measure, which is aimed at cutting down on obesity. The ban applies to all fizzy drinks sold in places open to the public, whether they are fast food chains, bars, cafés or conventional restaurants. The amendment to a health bill written by UDI MP Arnaud Richard reads: ‘It is the role of the law to fix a framework to protect the population against commercial competition which aims to make something free to entice customers and encourage them to consume unhealthy products excessively.’ It has won the backing of Health Minister Marisol Touraine, and public health campaigners worried about increasing obesity in France. Ms Touraine said: ‘This habit is common in other countries and it is increasingly taking hold in France.' Free refills are the norm in most American restaurants, and were were introduced by Quick, one of France’s most popular fast-food chains, last year. Customers are given an empty cup with their food and they are then free to serve themselves from the soda fountains. Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants also introduced the marketing ploy.
highlights: Anyone 'inciting' extreme thinness faces prison and fines of up to £7,000 .
  New law voted through by MPs to prevent the 'vicious circle of anorexia'
  Condition affects 40,000 people in France and has very high mortality rate .
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