The Fat Lie of Being Skinny

673 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Media influence on body image

Fat phobia is one of the major causes of anorexia, and 81% of ten year old girls fear becoming fat. A body image complex is very serious mental issue that becoming more and more eminent in society today. The media should not be able to show only one “perfect” view of the female body. Media’s influence effects eating disorders and the ideal body-image negatively, and causes models to harm themselves in the process. Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, are very unique and complex mental disorders. They cannot be simplified into a single cause, such as the media’s influence (Goldring). However, many statistics show the media affects girls, especially young ones, significantly. As the third most common disease among adolescents, people should not take anorexia lightly. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 86% of students experience the start of an eating disorder by the age of twenty. Of those students, 43% report to have started developing the disease between sixteen and twenty (“Eating Disorders”). Having an eating disorder, especially while young, can seriously and irreversibly damage many vital organs: anorexia can cause infertility and heart problems. In fact, 20% of women suffering anorexia die early from the repercussions of their disorder, including heart or organ failure, malnutrition, or suicide (“Eating Disorders”). Women purposefully harm themselves, usually knowing what the consequences could be, in order to be accepted as “beautiful.” As eating disorders become more prominent in society, what the media shows to impressionable young women (and men) should be censored. Instead, pop culture constantly represents a body that is “possessed naturally by only 5% of ... ... middle of paper ... ...ne should make more effort to control what is acceptable to look like in society. Works Cited “Eating Disorder Statistics.” anad.org. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. Goldring, Megan and Steven Lopez, Ph.D. “The Cultural Implications of Eating Disorders: A Comparative Study Between Argentina and the United States.” scf.usc.edu. University of Southern California, 26 May. 2013. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. Hardy, Leah. “A big fat (and very dangerous) lie: A former Cosmo editor lifts the lid on airbrushing skinny models to look healthy.” dailymail.co.uk. Mail Online, 20 May. 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. McIvor, Sarey Martin. “PHOTOSHOPPING OUR SOULS AWAY.” darlingmagazine.org. Darling Magazine, 01 Nov. 2011. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. “Modeling and Talent.” newyork.bbb.org. BBB of Metropolitan New York, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • The Effects of Media on the Body-Image of Preadolescent Girls

    1991 Words  | 4 Pages

    National Eating Disorder Association (2006). The media, body image, and eating disorders. Retrieved October 11, 2008, from http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

    Read More

  • Susan Bordo The Globalization Of Eating Disorder Summary

    1193 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The Globalization of Eating Disorders.” The McGraw-Hill Reader. Muller, Gilbert H. 12th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2014. 639-642. Print.

    Read More

  • Social Media Has a Negative Effect on Body Image and Self Esteem

    1204 Words  | 3 Pages

    Derenne, J. L., & Beresin, E. V. (2006). Body image, media, and eating disorders. Academic Psychiatry, 30(3), 257-261.

    Read More

  • Media's Role in Promoting Eating Disorders

    1864 Words  | 4 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Family Dysfunction and Anorexia: Is there a correlation?

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    Each year millions of people in the United States develop serious and often fatal eating disorders. More than ninety percent of those are adolescent and young women. The consequences of eating disorders are often severe--one in ten end in death from either starvation, cardiac arrest, or suicide. Due to the recent awareness of this topic, much time and money has been attributed to eating disorders. Many measures have been taken to discover leading causes and eventual treatment for those suffering from anorexia. (http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource ...er.html#Causes of Eating Disorders) )

    Read More

  • Influence of the Media on Eating Disorders

    2668 Words  | 6 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Eating Disorders in the Untied States

    1507 Words  | 4 Pages

    Eating Disorders are on a rapid rise in the United States today, they sweep the halls of Junior High School, High Schools, College Campuses and even Elementary Schools. These disorders are often referred to by professionals as the “Deadly Diet,” however you may know them as Anorexia or Bulimia. Eating disorder effect more than 20% of young females and males in today’s society. Ranging in age from thirteen to forty. It is very rare for a child of a young age to not know someone who is suffering from an eating disorder or symptoms that are associated with one. Statistically it has been proven that one out of every five young woman suffer from serious issues dealing with eating and or weight. (Bruch, 25)

    Read More

  • Anorexia Essay

    1679 Words  | 4 Pages

    One of the main external factors in the development of an eating disorder is the media. The media objectifies both men and women throug...

    Read More

  • Socio-Cultural Influences on Eating Disorders

    1068 Words  | 3 Pages

    “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.

    Read More

  • Eating Disorders : Eating Disorder

    1323 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Adolescent Eating Disorders

    1663 Words  | 4 Pages

    In 1978, Brunch called anorexia nervosa a 'new disease' and noted that the condition seemed to overtake ?the daughters of the well-to-do, educated and successful families.? Today it is acknowledged and accepted that anorexia affects more than just one gender or socio-economic class; however, much of the current research is focused on the female gender. ?Anorexia nervosa is characterized by extreme dieting, intense fear of gaining weight, and obsessive exercising. The weight loss eventually produces a variety of physical symptoms associated with starvation: sleep disturbance, cessation of menstruation, insensitivity to pain, loss of hair on the head, low blood pressure, a variety of cardiovascular problems and reduced body temperature. Between 10% and 15% of anorexics literally starve themselves to death; others die because of some type of cardiovascular dysfunction (Bee and Boyd, 2001).?

    Read More

  • Understanding Eating Disorders

    1178 Words  | 3 Pages

    ANAD. “Eating Disorders Statistics”. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders, Inc., 2013.Web. 18 Nov 2013.

    Read More

  • Harmful Effets of Photoshop

    916 Words  | 2 Pages

    "ANAD." Eating Disorders Statistics « « National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • An Overview of Anorexia Nervosa

    1876 Words  | 4 Pages

    When considering the relationship between gender and eating disorders, more than 90 percent of t...

    Read More

  • Responsibility of the Fashion Model Industry

    1518 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to a research, 95 % of those suffering from these eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25, the primary audiences of those Fashion modeling television s...

    Read More

More about The Fat Lie of Being Skinny

Open Document