Television plays an important role in influencing people. It is one of the main arms of media. The teenage girls in U.S.A idolize popular actress like Mary-Kate Olsen, Calista Flockhart and Victoria Beckhem. Teenage girls want to look like them. So to attain such skinny body they tend to eating disorder. It is not only the case in U.S. Ellen Goodman in her essay “The Culture of Thin Bites Fiji” has used Anthropologic research and its statics to show the eating disorder of Fijian teenager to look like actress in popular U.S television show. Ellen article focuses on how television changed the views of technological inferior Fijian society and the role it played in changing Fijian culture. Before television was introduced, as Goodman states: women in Fiji greeted one another with their ritual cultural compliments such as “you look wonderful! You have put on weight”. And if you looked thin it was considered to be a sign of some social problem or indication that person was not getting enough to eat. So gaining weight and becoming fat and bigger was beautiful in Fijian culture (Goodman 608).
Ellen uses the research done by Anne E. Becker, an anthropologist and associate professor of medical anthropology at Harvard medical school to back her claim as to how the Television had an impact on teenage girls of Fiji in the way they viewed their body. The eating disorder which this teenage girls practice to look like actress in popular Television shows. Although media houses do not want to recognize the fact that it has a role in creating the above mentioned effect. Goodman states, “Something happened in 1995. A western mirror was shoved into the Face of Fijian. Television came to island (Goodman608).” Television was introduced and teenage g...
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...y giving example of Calista Flockhert. Goodman is effectively limiting her claim by stating “ I’m not surprised by research showing that eating disorder are cultural byproduct ( 609).” The writer’s argument in this piece is epideictic in nature. It deals with current issues and addresses questions of blame, Ellen Goodman proves with her essay that drastic cultural change in Fiji was because of Television.
Works Cited
Goodman, Ellen. "The Culture of Thin Bites Fiji." Everything’s an Argument. Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 608-609.
Magill, J. H.. "Eating Disorders Statistics." South carolina department of mental health. DMH, 2006. Web. 9 Apr 2012. .
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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
"Eating Disorder Statistics." 2003 Retraining Grant Program. South Carolina Department of Mental Health, 2006. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. .
The media can impact people’s lives in many ways, whether it’s fashion, movies, literature, or hobbies. One of the impacts is how women view their bodies. Movie stars and models feel pressured to catch attention and to look good in order to have a good career in their respective field. People tend to judge how someone looks based on their body composition. The result of this “judgment” is that Hollywood is getting skinny. Since models and actresses serve as role models for people, people tend to want to look like them. The result of this seemingly harmless model of behavior is in an increase in eating disorders.
Estimates say that 10 million women and one million men in the US undergo an eating disorder and those numbers are increasing daily. Eating disorders “help” with things such as; emotional pain, conflicts dealing with separation, low self-esteem, depression, or trauma. Although they commonly affect young women, the number of males has increased by over 50% in the last ten years. These disorders are complicated yet very serious. If they are not treated they can cause potential death, physical problems, and mood swings. Although the following list...
Paragraph 1- Girls can become victims of eating disorders because of society's promotion of an ideal thin female body. Models and stars shown in the fashion industry, magazines, movies, and other forms of media often appear very thin. These models are not a true reflection of the average female. Many are unnaturally thin, unhealthy or airbrushed. One former Victoria Secret model was shocked by the waiflike models that were shown on the runway during designer shows. A study referenced in the the article “Do Thin Models Warp Girls Body Image” describes how studies of girls as young as first grade think the culture is telling them to model themselves after celebrities who are svelte and beautiful. The same studies showed girls exposed to fashion magazines were most likely to suffer from poor body images. Psychologist and eating disorder experts agree the fashion industry has gone too far in showing dangerously thin images that women and young girls may try to emulate. The use of super slim models and stars, is sending the wrong message to young impressionable girls. These harsh influences lead us to think that thin is ideal body size. Seeing super thin models in the media plays a role in anorexia. Society’s promotion of a thin female body contributes to eating disorders for females striving to achieve this ideal bod...
Moreover, population studies demonstrate that transnational migration, modernization, and urbanization are associated with elevated risk of disordered eating among girls and young women (Becker, 2004). Television, Disordered Eating, and Young Women in Fiji: Negotiating Body Image and Identity During Rapid Social Change (2004) is an editorial that elaborates on Adolescent girls and young women in Fiji incapable of adequately adapting to the economic and political environment. In the Fiji societies, status is traditionally endorsed rather than achieved; instigating the females to gravitate towards imported media to self-set themselves. Females in both cultures have no reality on self-image; indoctrination the females to believe that television images of young girls and women are a reality, causing the ladies to Impressionist the same images at any mean necessary. The aftermath of imported media amongst young girls and females captivates ideas of eating disorders and other youth risk behaviors with rapid modernization and social transition (Becker, 2004).
“The attention-grabbing pictures of various high-flying supermodels and actors on different magazine covers and advertisements go a long way in influencing our choices” (Bagley). The media is highly affective to everyone, although they promote an improper image of living. Research proved says those with low self-esteem are most influenced by media. Media is not the only culprit behind eating disorders. However, that does not mean that they have no part in eating disorders. Media is omnipresent and challenging it can halt the constant pressure on people to be perfect (Bagley). Socio-cultural influences, like the false images of thin women have been researched to distort eating and cause un-satisfaction of an individual’s body. However, it is clear that, although virtually all women are exposed to these socio-cultural influences, only a very small proportion develop clinical eating disorders (Mazzeo and Bulik). Every article believes that socio-culture have an impact on eating disorders. Although, researchers believe that is not the only reason, and the easiest statement to make. Eating disorders are far more complicated than it just being blamed on the media. Bagley, Mazzeo and Bulik all state that media play a role in the development but are not the main reason to developing an eating disorder. In all of the research done thus far media is a part of eating disorders, but not the only culprit.
Becker, A. E. (2004). Television, disordered eating, and young women in Fiji: Negotiating body image and identity during rapid social change. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 28(4), 533-59. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11013-004-1067-5
The stage of adolescence contains major changes which can bring stress, confusion, and anxiety. Feelings of self-consciousness, low self esteem and comparison with peers start occurring during this time. Along with the physical changes there is also hormonal and brain changes that affect the adolescent physically, mentally, emotionally, and psychologically. During this time a person can feel tremendous pressure to find their place in the world among a great deal of confusion (“Eating Disorders and Adolescence,” 2013). Body image concerns and peer pressure are heightened during the period of adolescence, and are potential risk factors in the development of an eating disorder. While eating disorders can affects males and females of all ages, the average age of onset for Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and disordered eating takes place during adolescence. These disorders are often a coping mechanism for people to attempt to gain control of their situation when they feel helpless among other aspects of life (“Eating Disorders and Adolescence,” 2013). Eating disorders in children and teens can lead to a number of serious physical problems and even death (Kam, n.d.).
Muise, A. M., Stein, D. G., and Arbess, G. (2003). Eating disorders in adolescent boys: A review of the adolescent and young adult literature. Journal of adolescent Health, 33, 427-435.
ANAD. “Eating Disorders Statistics”. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders, Inc., 2013.Web. 18 Nov 2013.
In the essay “The Culture of Thin Bites Fiji,” the author Ellen Goodman claims that because of the influence of media, women in the Fiji islands have suffered eating disorders. As Goodman points out, before 1995, people believed their culture that big meant beautiful and bigger meant more beautiful in Fiji. And the Fijians were a reverse image of American culture. But after 1995, while American television came to the island, and it gradually entered their lives. Then the media made their belief totally changed, and they started to believe that fat is disgusting. And the Goodman shows her argument that due to the public media destroyed the culture of Fijian and caused a social issue about people were chasing to control their weight, but it also caused eating problem.
Researchers have used various abstract foundations for examining the relationship between media and body image ( Holmstrom, 2004). Here I review the theory that has been used by researcher in the area. Bandura’s Social cognitive theory (1994) assumed that “people learn and model the behaviors of attractive others”. The supporters of this theory suggest that young women find slim models in the media attractive and try to imitate them through dieting which leads them to eating disorders.
Matthews, John R. Library in a Book: Eating Disorders. New York: Facts on File Inc. 1991
"Teen Eating Disorders: Tips to Protect Your Teen." - Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Staff, n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2014.