Media’s Influence on Eating Disorders The complications that accompany body image have long been an issue in society. Body image is the sense of how an individual views his or her own body as compared to others in society, or what is considered to be the ideal body image. There are many different factors that effect ones body image, but a major influence is the media. The media has long been associated with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where an individual participates in self-starvation, and bulimia is an eating disorder where an individual will eat as much as he or she wishes and then purges the previously eaten food. These are two destructive eating disorders that are associated with a negative body image. This comes to question, does media have an influence on creating a negative body image, which may inherently lead to eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia? Anorexia nervosa and bulimia affect various age groups but is extremely common in adolescence and emerging adulthood. During this stage in an individual’s lifespan there is a lot going on with ones psychological development as well as body. How an adolescent views his or her body image be highly impacted by how the media portrays what the ideal body image is. According to Berger (2015), “as might be expected from a developmental perspective, healthy eating begins with childhood habits and family routines” (p.415). If proper eating habits are not implemented negative body image and eating disorders that are associated with media becomes further predominant in adolescence and emerging adulthood. Summary of Article One The very first indicators of individuals suffering from eating disorders have b... ... middle of paper ... ...ficant enough to prove that media does not play a role in influencing eating disorders. Since the link between media and eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia has been established, the next step for society is to understand how to prevent such harmful influences from the media. Works Cited 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 Berger, K. (2015). The Developing Person: Through the Life Span (9th ed.). New York, NY: Worth. Derenne, J. L., & Beresin, E. V. (2006). Body image, media, and eating disorders. Academic Psychiatry, 30(3), 257-61. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.waketech.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/196508089?accountid=15152
Henderson, K., & Spettigue, W. (2004). Eating disorders and the role of the media. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 13(1), Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2533817/
Derenne, Jennifer L., and Eugene V. Beresin. "Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders." Academic Psychiatry 30. June (2006): 257-61. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.
Stice, Eric, Erika Schupak-Neuberg, Heather E. Shaw, and Richard J. Stein. “Relation of Media Exposure to Eating Disorder Symptomatology: An Examination of Mediating Mechanism.” Journal of Abnormal Psychology 103.4 (1994): 836-840. Web. 10 March 2014.
One of the main external factors in the development of an eating disorder is the media. The media objectifies both men and women throug...
Nowadays everyone seems to be infatuated not only with medicine and health, but also with perfect body images. Susan Bordo presses the issue on how the media has contributed to the increase of eating disorders. When television was first being introduced to homes in the 1950s, the media’s portrayal of “the ideal” body was drastically different than it is today. (Rader) Eating disorders are complex conditions that I do feel media contributes to but they can arise from a variety of potential causes as well. How do we find a common ground? If media outlets aren’t the root or cause of eating disorders, what is and what can we do to prevent them?
“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.
Derenne, Jennifer L., and Eugene V. Beresin. "Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders." Academic Psychiatry 30.3 (2006): 257-61. ProQuest. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.
Derenne, J. L., & Beresin, E. V. (2006). Body image, media, and eating disorders. Academic Psychiatry, 30(3), 257-261.
In today’s society, technology is used on a daily basis; whether watching television, using social media, or reading a magazine, people are influenced by what they see. As a result of this, some people develop an eating disorder because their view of what is attractive is distorted because of what is shown in media. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, “The body type portrayed in advertising as the ideal is possessed naturally by only 5% of American females” (ANAD). The common misperception is that eating disorders are a “woman’s disease” although one out of ten people who have an eating disorder are male. Although it is by no means the only cause, it is believed that media effects how women perceive themselves, but most people don’t consider that media effects how men view themselves.
There are many young adults that suffer eating disorders and depression due to the vast amounts of media they soak in everyday that tells them to look and behave a certain way to be “cool” or be accepted. Derenne and Beresin (2006) examined that exposure to mass media its correlation with eating disorders. They found that the constant exposure to commercials, TV, and movies, contributes to a negative outlook on teen bodies. This dissatisfaction of body image causes eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. The media drives teens to be less confident, triggering a physiological response resulting in hunger (Masheb & Grilo, 2006). This in itself is a consequence of depression, and usually a common side effect associated with individuals suffering. Eating disorders also tend to give individual’s suicidal tendencies, therefore suicide rates are fairly high amongst patients with anorexia or bulimia nervosa (Derenne and Beresin, 2006). Similarly, binge eating disorder (BED), is the emotional overeating of food, is also affected by depression (Masheb & Grilo, 2006). Young adults are bombarded with both male and female models that create unreasonable expectations of exterior looks causing unhappiness of oneself, and idealization of other people. Idolization leads to comparing and jealousy, enhancing to the negative feelings already being experienced. When negative feelings begin to accumulate, there is more food intake to swallow the pain, thus causing obesity. A difference in terms of gender prevalence for BED, it is actually equal for both sexes (Masheb & Grilo, 2006) where as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa is more popular among females (Strober et al,
Hawkins, N., Richards, P., Granley, H., & Stein, D. M. (2004). The Impact of Exposure to the Thin-Ideal Media Image on Women.Eating Disorders: The Journal Of Treatment & Prevention, 12(1), 35-50. doi:10.1080/10640260490267751
Eating disorder is a very complex topic to discuss, not just because it has subdivisions like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder but because of several different causes associated with the disorder. This paper would focus on one of the associated causes that impacts eating disorder known as media exposure. Although the media exposure as different forms such as magazines, television and social media (Instagram, twitter and Facebook). This paper wouldn’t be based off a specific form of media even though most of the studies used are.
Many of the children are thought to have been too young for awareness of the overwhelming problem. However, it is said that the children suffering from these disordered habits are said to be exposed to an average of 5 to 7 hours of television per day, viewing the ideal body style (Morris). The media is said to “apply a set of values, norms, and aesthetic standards to embrace modern society [ideals]” (Harrison). Scientists believe that the link between media and disordered eating was higher than originally expected. By exposing young children to “ideal body image”, the brain develops an individual expression of true beauty. A 2005 poll commissioned by NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) revealed that American adults think that dieting (66%), the media (64%) and family (52%) are the primary causes of eating disorders (TETYANA). The link between media and eating disorders has become stronger and stronger over the years as models and social icons are encouraged to loose more and more weight in order to fit into a “size 2” style. A student run study, placed two independent subjects, of thirteen years old, with images from local magazines (both men’s and women’s) into a compact pile of images. The subjects were asked to rate the images on their ideas of “thin”. The results rated the “coders rated 69% of female characters and only 17% of male characters in a sample as
A quite common problem in American society regarding body image is the development of eating disorders. Though the causes are not always known, a seriously negative perception of body image may result in unhealthy
Some studies show that eating disorders arise from characteristics such as neurobiology, genetics, personality traits, and personal environment. As well as the thought that without the media and their portrayal of perfection, there would still be eating disorders. Though these characteristics may have a hand at eating disorders, media is the cause for extreme bodily dissatisfaction. Images of pin-thin models evoke certain feelings of envy, causing dissatisfaction in ones own figure. The extremes that women and young girls place on themselves and their bodies to attain perfection can cause massive s...