Eating disorders are a huge concern in our country right now and many people blame the media for the problem. Everyday we are bombarded with images of perfect, skinny models that in no way resemble real life people. Yet when we compare ourselves to others, we automatically look to those in the media, even though they do not represent the majority of the people in our country. According to the National Eating Disorders Web site, the majority of women get information on womenʼs health from the media, which constantly pushes consumers to buy products in order to make them perfect. A study of 4,294 television networks found that 1 out of 3.8 commercials sends out some sort of “attractiveness message,” as cited in Myers et al. Consumers say this is a major concern when children already watch about 3-4 hours of television per day. Critics say these ads send the message to children and adults alike that they are imperfect and need to change themselves. From a young age, children have thoughts about changing themselves and those thoughts only grow as they become older. A study done in 1991 found that 81 percent of 10 year- olds are afraid to be fat. Children are losing more and more of their childhood, which in large part is due to the media.
Also, in addition to the negaive affects the media has on people personally, it is also sending out trite stereotypes about gender, race and age say critics. For example, women are posed with their faces either by their hands, clothes or other objects. Although this seems like a small thing, when this pose is constantly used it seems to be giving the idea that women should be silent or do not have anything important to say. It seems to pushing the stereotype that women should stay in the kitchen and keep their mouths shut about issues outside of the home.
Encouraging the media to present more diverse and real images of people with positive messages about health and self-esteem may not eliminate eating disorders entirely, but it would help reduce the pressures many people feel to make their bodies conform to one ideal, and in the process, reduce feelings of body dissatisfaction and ultimately decrease the potential for eating disorders according to the national eating disorders website.
Critics say itʼs time to stop perpetuating these out-of-date stereotypes and started realizing that nobody looks like magazine models. So the next time you are feeling badly about yourself when flipping through a magazine, remember that your body is just as good as theirs.
If you know someone who is dealing with an eating disorder they can recieve information and help from either the Womenʼs Center or the Wellness Center.