Eating+Disorders+and+The+Media

__ Eating Disorders and the Media __ In today’s society, many young girls are affected by eating disorders. Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are the most common eating disorders among teens today. There are many causes of eating disorders such as; psychological, interpersonal and social, however the most influential trigger is the media. Media standards of beauty impact our own definition of what is attractive or not. Our perception of beauty is distorted by what we see through the media’s because it manipulates images using technology, promotes dieting, and reaches large audiences with unrealistic messages.

The media uses technology to shape what we see. Most of the images in the media have been photo-shopped, edited and touched up to create false beauty. The Dove Evolution video clearly demonstrates how the media manipulates images. The video displays the evolution of how a normal girl is transformed to meet the media’s standard of beauty using photo-shop and make-up. This unrealistic beauty causes body image dissatisfaction among teens because they can’t live up to the media’s standard. The video also shows us how the “perfect” image is created so that we realize it is unrealistic and unattainable. Most people, however, don’t see the evolution, only the final product and this creates a false “ideal” image often leading to eating disorders.

Through media such as magazines, radio, and television, dieting is promoted. Everyday we are bombarded by ads encouraging popular diets such as Jenny Craig, Atkins, or LA Weight Loss. Diets recommend food restrictions where people limit what they eat, however some people take it too far, and this can lead to eating disorders. Most diets are a quick fix for weight loss and do not promote long term health like balanced eating and daily exercise. In addition, diets are used most often in Hollywood for actors to slim down for a red carpet event. Through the media people see actors promoting diets, however these actors have added help such as; personal trainers, chefs, plastic surgeons, and stylists that all contribute to their look. In reality, most people don’t have such help, but still believe the image is attainable with dieting. In attempting to lose weight and meet Hollywood standards, many people develop a negative body image and eating disorders.

Every day countless teens are exposed to many unrealistic beauty images because media reaches them almost everywhere; billboards, magazines, TV, and even online. They see “ideal” images of skinny women and men - like Kate Moss or a Calvin Klein model - and wonder “Why don’t I look like that?” When teens see these images they become dissatisfied with their body and sometimes develop behaviours - eating disorders - that compromise their health. Because these images will always be part of what we see in the media, teen girls need to understand that these images are not realistic or achievable, and definitely not healthy. Teens need to assess what they see in the media, figure out what is or isn’t realistic, and make smart choices about what is best for them.

Source: National Eating Disorders Association website; [|www.nationaleatingdisorders.org]

Bronwyn McLaughlin 8-1 June 15, 2010