Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
The globalization of eating disorders susan bordo year
Relevant topics in eating disorder through mass media
What is the role of sociocultural factors in the etiology of eating disorders
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
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? Susan Bordo explains in her essay “The Globalization of Eating Disorders” how eating and body disorders are becoming an epidemic in society for both women and men today. In Central Africa, traditionally woman with curvier bodies are praised upon “We have hips. We have bums. We have flesh in Africa.” said designer Frank Osodi (Bordo 640) In Nigeria, a curvy woman was sent to compete in the Miss World competition and did poorly in comparison to slender beauties. The next time around they sent a lighter skinned, slender beauty who became the first African American to win the Miss World Pageant. Nigerian teenagers began fasting and dieting so they could become Lepa – a slang word used for the “it” …show more content…
Awareness will help avoid judgmental or mistaken attitudes towards individuals suffering from the disorder. We can help promote a nutritious diet. We need to help educate individuals who may “think” they are fat and look to pursue dieting to try and fix themselves. Diets don’t work, since overeating is not the only cause of excess weight, undereating is not the cure for being overweight. (UW Health) Help promote internally regulated foods; eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full, don’t
Every individual cares about how they appear to others; their shape and in this informal, narrative essay titled Chicken-Hips, Canadian journalist and producer Catherine Pigott tells her story on her trip to Gambia and her body appearance. In this compelling essay the thesis is implicit and the implied thesis is about how women are judged differently on their appearance in different parts of the world, as various cultures and individuals have a different perception on what ideal beauty is. In this essay Pigott writes about her trip to Africa specifically Gambia and how upon arriving there she was judged to be too slim for a woman. She goes to write about how differently she would be judged back home by mentioning “in my county we deny ourselves
National Eating Disorder Association (2006). The media, body image, and eating disorders. Retrieved October 11, 2008, from http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
Bordo creates a harrowing argument in her essay. “The Globalization of Eating Disorders” shows its greatest strengths when supported by the essayist’s emotional appeals, personal observations, and statistical evidence. In her keenness to employ real facts and statistics, paired with her rhetoric, Bordo grants relevancy to her claim. Providing clarity on the recent development of eating disorders, Bordo shows her ability to argue as she voices her deep concern. Indeed, Bordo’s use of many of the components of a strong argument in her essay accomplishes its goal. Ultimately, Bordo’s selection provides its audience with enough reason to consider or reconsider their stances. Suddenly, the globalization of eating disorders has become global in a new way—in the awareness of men and women all around the
Derenne, J. L., & Beresin, E. V. (2006). Body image, media, and eating disorders. Academic Psychiatry, 30(3), 257-261.
Calliope is not the only human who has been a victim of self inflicted body shaming, studies have revealed that women go on severe diets to obtain what the media defines as a perfect body. In Rose Weitz and Samantha Kwan’s novel: The Politics of Women’s Bodies, “27.3 percent of women are “terrified” or getting fat… A total of 5.9 percent of women met psychiatric criteria for Anorexia or Bulimia (USA Today 1985)” (68-69). Not only do women struggle with the appearance of their bodies, some punish their bodies by self induced vomiting or starvation in attempt to achieve an idealistic body. While Calliope feels ashamed for lacking a womanly figure, woman elsewhere envy Calliope’s body and are bullying themselves as a
Research, 2016. Bordo implicated popular culture as having a serious negative role in how women of America view their bodies. These images have led to drastic increase change in life altering female disorders and eating. Not only does these images affect Americans but young men and women too which they should be fighting against it, not for
Society has always been in the mindset of a white cis male, racist and sexist. In the article “The Globalization of Eating Disorders”, by Susan Bordo, talks about how the media portrays women in an impossible light and how women of color are overlook in eating disorders. The article “Saving the Life That Is Your Own: The Importance of Models in the Artist’s Life” by Alice Walker, talks about how women of color are overlook and not taken seriously in literature and how people need good models in life to do and become great things. They both have a common topic of that women of color are often over looked in literature and media and if women of color were truly portrayed in society then girls of all ages could really benefit from it.
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.
Derenne, Jennifer L., and Eugene V. Beresin. "Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders." Academic Psychiatry 30. June (2006): 257-61. Web. 23 Mar. 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.
“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.
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.
Levine, Michael P., and Sarah K. Murnen. "Everybody Knows That Mass Media Are/Are Not [Pick One] A Cause Of Eating Disorders": A Critical Review Of Evidence For A Causal Link Between Media, Negative Body Image, And Disordered Eating In Females." Journal Of Social & Clinical Psychology 28.1 (2009): 9-42. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
Rader, Jonathon. "Does the media cause eating disorders?." healthcarecommunication.com. N.p., 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 5 Dec. 2013.
Although, the media promotes this outlook on self image, it seems. as if it tries to correct the “negative images” by making people aware of the dangers of them. They do this by creating after-school specials that expose the risks and dangers involved in eating disorders. Ironically, while writing this paper, I happened to view a program called “Mysteries”. and Scandals”, on the TV network E!.