Eating Disorders and the Media

Many people are aware that eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa have placed a burden on the lives of thousands of men and women. However, many people are not conscious of the main influences of these mental illnesses.

The media has had a large influence on the increase in eating disorders in young women by shifting the way they see themselves. Many women in advertisements are photoshopped to possess a certain body type; skinny. Models have come off as increasingly thinner, some almost too thin to be true. Photographs of models in advertising have not just to adjusted to look skinnier. Photoshoppers have changed pictures of the models so that they all are tall, have large breasts, a small waist, long legs, a thigh gap, and many more features so that they come off as attractive. Many companies have created an image of women that just cannot exist. Young women have begun to question their body image due to the overwhelming abundance of advertisements portraying that certain image. Many girls see the bodies of these models and use it as a personal goal. They see the skinny, over-edited model and believe that they can be as skinny, or as tall, or look as “perfect” as the girl in the magazine, or on television, or on the internet.

Unfortunately, eating disorders have become largely influenced by these unrealistic ideals and expectations of body image that has been formed for women. These affect not only middle school and high school girls, but elementary school girls as well. Forty seven percent of girls in fifth to twelfth grade want to lose weight because of magazine photos they saw. Forty two percent of girls in first to third grade have the desire to become thinner. Lastly, eighty one percent of ten year old girls have a fear of becoming fat.

Girls’ fears of gaining weight and becoming fat has a direct correlation with magazine advertisements and photographs. The obvious solution to many of these young girls is to simply not eat. As many of them are too young to understand dieting or exercise. Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia become prevalent, causing the effects the the advertisements to last longer than they should. The average time frame for these disorders can last anywhere from five to seven years.

Photoshop in advertisements occurring in the media, primarily in magazines, has had an has made a negative impact on the lives of young girls in America. Magazines should discontinue the use of photoshop in their advertisements to allow girls to become more comfortable in their bodies, and possibly sell more product. This issue affects not only women, but men to. The media has created an unachievable body image for both genders causing negative self image and has led to eating disorders in many young women.