Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Eating disorders and media influence essay
Eating disorder,body image and gender
Eating disorders and media influence essay
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Eating disorders and media influence essay
The Cause and Effects of Eating Disorders The first time 10-year old Mary becomes self conscious about her weight is when she sees her mother looking at a magazine with a cover of a thin woman in a bikini with the bold print declaring, “Is She Fat or Pregnant?” Children are surrounded with the media filling their heads that being thin or muscular is the only way they can be beautiful, resulting in eating disorders. Their bodies have to be society's perfection in order to be accepted and to do so they take dangerous actions. At least 81% of 10 year olds are afraid of becoming fat (Mellin et al.,). Children, just like Mary, have been poisoned to think that having a perfect body is the only way they are going to be happy or loved. With the media's view of perfection being displayed on every magazine or advertisement, people are more likely to suffer through an eating disorder, bringing the problems that come with one right behind it. The physical effects are not the only consequences to an eating disorder; it also brings physiological and life changes effects. While there has never been a root of cause for eating disorders, there are many factors that cause an eating disorder to occur, such as the Western Culture and photoshop. The National Eating Disorders Association says eating disorders are caused by “a combination of long-standing behavioral, biological, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and social factors”(NEDA). The media is a huge influence to people who are already self conscious about their weight. As more photos are being photoshopped, the more people will think that is the only type of beauty. Photoshop has become more than retouching a photo; it has become a tool to remake a person’s body into an unattainable... ... middle of paper ... ... and support people can recover from it. Work Cited: Collins, M.E. (1991). Body figure perceptions and preferences among pre-adolescent children. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 199-208. American Medical Association. "AMA Adopts New Policies at Annual Meeting" N.p, 21 June 2011. Web. 16 Mar 2014. . Martin, J. B. (2010). The Development of Ideal Body Image Perceptions in the United States.Nutrition Today, 45(3), 98-100. Retrieved from nursingcenter.com/pdf.asp?AID=1023485 National Eating Disorders Association. "Factors That May Contribute to Eating Disorders" Web. 17 March 2014 . "Eating Disorders." Mental Health America. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Jare, Peter. "Eating Disorders and Depression: How They're Related." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
The National Institute of Mental Health: Eating Disorders: Facts About Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions. Pub No. 01-4901. Accessed Feb. 2002.
Derenne, Jennifer L., and Eugene V. Beresin. "Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders." Academic Psychiatry 30. June (2006): 257-61. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.
Shapiro, C. M. (2012). Eating disorders: Causes, diagnosis, and treatments [Ebrary version]. Retrieved from http://libproxy.utdallas.edu/login?url=http://site.ebrary.com/lib/utdallas/Doc?id=10683384&ppg=3
Our society today is heavily influenced by the media and the imagery it shows. Though it may be indirect, the media provides unhealthy messages about ideal body sizes, gender attractiveness, and weight control that make women view themselves in a negative way. Magazines, television, and movies influence teenage girls on what they believe their body image should be. The images they show set the standard of what is considered physically attractive in our society. With the use of photoshop, media depicts falsified images of models and actresses to create a perfected look that is unattainable by the average woman. This creates a desire among teenage girls to look like these stars that are often shown. When teenage girls look at these images, they compare themselves to those images, and then judge themselves based on these comparisons. These judgements can potentially lead to eating disorders. In order to prevent the risk of eating disorders among teenage girls, the media should depict a typical image of people, rather than idolizing a specific standard of beauty.
Today, America is plagued with eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Compulsive Eating Disorders. Each has its own characteristics that distinguish the illness yet there are some similarities that they also share. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, as with most mental illnesses, eating disorders are not caused by just one factor but by a combination of behavioral, biological, emotional, psychological, interpersonal and social factors. Shockingly, they also report that in the United States, there are as many as 10 million females and 1 million males that are battling with eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. Additionally, another 25 million are struggling with binge eating disorders (www.NationalEatingDisorders.org). Typically, psychological factors such as depression and low self-esteem contribute to eating disorders...
...Environmental Factors and Biochemistry Combine to Cause Eating Disorders." Healthy Place. Healthy Place, 2011. Web. 13 Oct 2011. .
Eating disorders are described as an illness involving eating habits that are irregular and an extreme concern with body image or weight. Eating disorders tend to appear during teenage years, but can develop at any age. Although more common in women, eating disorders can affect any age, gender or race. In the United States, over 20 million women and 10 million men are personally affected by eating disorders. There are many different causes of eating disorders such as low self esteem, societal pressures, sexual abuse and the victims perception of food. Eating disorders are unique to the sufferer and often, their perception of themselves is so skewed, they may not be aware they have an eating disorder. Media, for quite some time now, has played a significant part in eating disorders. Magazines with headlines ‘Summer Body’, or ‘Drop LB’s Fast!’ attract the attention of girls who may be insecure with themselves. Television productions such as the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show or American’s Next Top Model, show airbrushed and photoshopped women who have body types that may be unachievable. Those who are suffering from eating disorders can suffer dangerous consequences, and it is important to seek help.
Despite the fact that many people think of an eating disorder as being an unhealthy quest for a perfect body, eating disorders are not about vanity and not really about weight. The causes of eating disorders are not known with precision but are thought to be a combination of genetic, neuro-chemical, psycho-developmental, and socio-cultural factors. Eating disorders are complex, psychological illnesses where people try to control conflict and stress in their lives by controlling food. The food, weight, and body image issues are identifiable symptoms of deep-rooted, often difficult-to-identify problems.
"Causes of Eating Disorders." Mental Help. N.p., 2 Feb 2007. Web. 20 Feb 2014. .
ANAD. “Eating Disorders Statistics”. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders, Inc., 2013.Web. 18 Nov 2013.
O’Dea, J. (1995). Body image and nutritional status among adolescents and adults. Journal of Nutrition & Dietetics, 25, 56-67.
O’Dea, J. (1995). Body image and nutritional status among adolescents and adults. Journal of Nutrition & Dietetics, 25, 56-67.
The overwhelming idea of thinness is probably the most predominant and pressuring standard. Tiggeman, Marika writes, “This is not surprising when current societal standards for beauty inordinately emphasize the desirability of thinness, an ideal accepted by most women but impossible for many to achieve.” (1) In another study it is noted that unhealthy attitudes are the norm in term of female body image, “Widespread body dissatisfaction among women and girls, particularly with body shape and weight has been well documented in many studies, so much so that weight has been aptly described as ‘a normative discontent’”. (79) Particularly in adolescent and prepubescent girls are the effects of poor self-image jarring, as the increased level of dis...
"Eating Disorders." Doctors, Patient Care, Health Education, Medical Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014.
Herbozo, Sylvia, Stacey Tantleff-Dunn, Jessica Gokee-Larose, and J.Kevin Thompson. “Beauty and Thinness Messages in Children’s Media: A Content Analysis.” Eating Disorders 12 (2004): 21-34. Print.