Media and Eating Disorders

Paper Summary:

The media has a large effect on society as a whole and there has been an increase in media exposure over the years. The thin, waif-like look is seen as the ideal, a standard for women to be measured against. The paper shows that women are under lots of pressure to conform to the ideals of society and the majority of women are on diets or have dieted at some point in their life. This leads to low self esteem and poor body image, which is a precipitating factor in eating disorders. This essay discusses whether the media is the catalyst for preoccupation with slimness and a major contributor to eating disorders in young women.

From the Paper:

"The media is often quoted as a scapegoat for the increase in eating disorders. Linda Grant's opinion is that: "Women don't set out to become anorexic, they begin by thinking they're too fat because everywhere they go the media is telling them that they are right" (Barrett, 1997). This assumes that the causes of eating disorders are simply triggered by an individual feeling overweight, which is not the case. Eating disorders have many causes, some evidence suggests that an eating disorder can exist without this pathological fear of being overweight (Lai, 2000). If these effects of the media are obvious then why is it that only 1-3% of women suffer from an eating disorder? "

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