Transcript Media and Eating Disorders

Media and Eating Disorders
Sonia Valencia
Research Methods
ITT Technical Institute
Instructor Kenneth Frawley
Definition
• Eating disorders are
illnesses that cause a
person to adopt
harmful eating habits.
• The two most
common types of
eating disorder are
anorexia and bulimia.
Anorexia and Bulimia
• Anorexia is an eating disorder
where people starve
themselves. They are very
skinny but are convinced that
they are overweight.
• Bulimia is a psychological
eating disorder. It is
characterized by episodes of
binge-eating followed by
inappropriate weight control,
such as vomiting, fasting,
enemas, excessive use of
laxatives, or compulsive
exercising.
Media
• As young girls, we have
all been taught from a
very young age, that if we
are thin, then we were
pretty, which will lead to
popularity and success.
• Today, we pick up a
magazine or turn on the
television, listen to the
radio, or shop at the mall
and the only message we
get is that fat is bad.
Image
• Teenage girls often
feel flawed if their
weight, hips, and
breasts don’t match
up to those of models
and actresses.
• Today even
elementary school
aged children are
obsessed with their
weight.
Statistics & Facts
• Diet and diet related products are a 33 billion
dollar a year industry.
• 81% of ten-year-old girls are afraid of being fat.
• 42% of girls in first through third grades state
they want to be thinner.
• A study found that adolescent girls were more
fearful of gaining weight, than getting cancer,
nuclear war or losing their parents.
Statistics & Facts
• In 1970 the average age a girl that started
dieting was 14; by 1990 the average age
dropped to 8.
• One half of 4th grade girls are on a diet.
• While only one out of ten high school girls are
overweight, nine out of ten high school juniors
and seniors diet.
• 79% of teenage girls who vomit and 73% of
teenage girls who use diet pills are frequent
readers of women’s health and fitness
magazines.
Interviews
• Michelle – 16 year old Hispanic girl- “I think looking at
skinny models on TV and magazines make me feel fat,
but I don’t think I’ll ever starve myself to look skinny.”
• Christine- 17 year old Caucasian girl- “ I would never
want be overweight, I stay away from junk food and I try
to eat healthy. I want to be on television some day.”
• Marie – 16 year old African American – “I have fat aunts
who feel confident, but I would never want to be like
them.”
• Janet – 15 year old Hispanic girl – “Being overweight , I
feel that I would try anything to loose weight. I have been
dieting since I was 12 and I stay at the same weight.
Kids point at me and laugh in my face.”
Skinny Models Banned
• The world's first ban on
overly thin models came
from a top-level fashion
show in Madrid, Spain. It
has caused outrage
among modeling
agencies and raised the
prospect of restrictions at
other venues.
• Organizers say they want
to project an image of
beauty and health, rather
than a waif-like, or heroin
chic look.
Skinny Models Banned
• On February 1st 2007, A New
York City Council member
proposed sponsors to ban
abnormally thin models from
walking New York Fashion
Week's runways.
• Brewer said she wants models
to be educated on nutrition and
designers to encourage
healthy eating habits.
• Brazilian model Ana Carolina
Reston died in November at
age 21. She was 5 feet 8
inches tall and weighed just 88
pounds.
Conclusion
The media and others, may have more to do
with shaping an individual's body image than
the inflicted herself. When someone is unhappy
with their body image it creates negative health
consequences such as improper dieting and
weight-loss strategies, eating disorders, and
poor mental health such as low self-esteem.
Resources
• www.lilithgallery.com/feminist/anorexia/
Anore...
• www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/.../miicmmac/chap_6_e.html
• www.raderprograms.com/media.htm
• www.cnn.com