Eating Disorder Influences
(Perfectly Distorted)
Current concerns by the American population on having the ideal body and weight is resulting in a significant number of individuals with eating disorders. There are potential dangers associated with certain products being used in an attempt to lose weight. The influence media has on body image is surprising, Connections between American media and the ideal body has people taking extreme measures to lose weight. American media, eating disorders and body image are relatively connected by how an individual feels about their appearance in society.
Most women that are seen on television are presented as attractive or beautiful. China Zmuida, an ehow contributor, writes “In a 2000 study conducted by Fouts and Burgraff, overweight women were demeaned in programs, whereas women who were considered to be thin and attractive were more than likely to be glorified.” The National Eating Disorders Association reports that one in every 3.8 televisions commercials conveys an “attractiveness message,” influencing viewers on what is considered attractive. These messages convey the idea that extreme thinness is much more attractive and desirable than a normal, healthy weight. The typical American teen sees more than 5,260 of these “attractiveness messages” every year. “ Most teens absorb information through what they see on television or by what they read in the magazines. The National Eating Disorders Association states that the media’s influence on body image is one contributing factor to the development of eating disorders in teens and young adults. It’s evident that we cannot escape seeing food advertisements. They are everywhere. Some advertisements promote fast food. Fast food industries are booming in business because Americans just don’t have time in their schedules for home cooked meals. In consequence, eating too much unhealthy, fatty foods on the go, leads to gaining weight.
There isn’t a good body image being...