The Media and Body Image
Content
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Madison Teas Professor Mendonca English 1301 30 May 2011 The Media and Body Image The media, is known as the fourth pillar of democracy, has a huge impact on society, both negative and positive. Opinions can change overnight and celebrities can become infamous with just one wave by the media. The media can affect a wide variety of groups, but have the most influence on women. The way they portrays women in television, movies and advertisements cause negative effects on women physically and mentally. The media has contributed to the increase in negative body images and eating disorders through advertisement’s and its constant focus on thin, beautiful women. There a number of factors that contribute to negative body image and the development of eating disorders, but the media plays a large role. This is because media plays such a huge role in our everyday lives that it is almost impossible to get away from it. The average US resident is exposed to approximately 5,000 advertising messages a day (Alfreiter, Elzinga & Gordon, 2003). Many of this messages are advertising what is consider beautiful. A study of 4,294 network television commercials revealed that 1 out of every 3.8 commercials send some sort of “attractiveness message,” telling viewers what is or is not attractive (Myers et al., 1992). Images dis-
played by the media help define cultural meaning of beauty and attractiveness and are often associated as one of the reasons for the rise in negative body images. Today’s images of ultra-thin celebrities and models give viewers the definition of beauty as thinness. Female celebrities and models often serve as role models to women, influencing our fashion, beauty and view of life.
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Over the last couple decades celebrities and models keep getting thinner. Todays model weighs 23% less than the average american woman; 20 years ago the differential was only 8% (Maine, M 2000). Also a large number of female celebrities are a lot thinner than celebrities used to be and are clearly skinner than the average American woman (Sypeck et al., 2004). The ultra-thin bodies of celebrates and models are plastered all over different forms of media conveying the message “thin is in”. For example, if you open a Victoria Secret magazine you will find the super-slender models that demonstrate societies definition of beautifulness. Many people argue that this images are a positive influence we need in society because of the high obesity rates. However, when women are surrounded by these images of unnaturally thin women and our convinced they are of normal weight and that such low weight is healthy and desirable. This is just as much as a health risk as being overweight. University of Wisconsin researcher Dr. Shelly Grabe and psychology professor Janet Hyde conducted a extensive analysis of 77 previous studies that include 15,00 subjects. In these studies they found that viewing ultra-thin celebrities and models illustrated by the media increased negative body images (Science Daily, 2008). This encourages some women to lose weight even when they do not need to because they feel their bodies are inadequate to these super-thin body images. Most of the images in the media that women compare themselves to are unrealistic and unattainable. This is because many of these images are not even real, the photos of this beautiful women are altered through expensive technology like airbrushing. Another reason why this body image is unrealistic is because people have different body types which make it impossible to be that thin. Only 5% of females in the United States naturally have the body type that is consider “ideal” ( National Eating Disorder Association). Also often we forget celebrities live a very different life style then we do. They have access to personal trainers, nutritionist and money for
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plastic surgery. Sarah Michelle has publicly said this about thin celebrities,"How can women be as thin as we are? We have personal trainers to work us out. We have special prepared meals” (Kidz world). By showing these images that only a few women have it encourages eating disorders like starvation. Nowadays you cannot read a magazine or newspaper or turn on the TV without encountering promotion for weight loss.Weight-loss promotion is everywhere, and it comes in many forms: weight-loss plans and support groups, diets, fasts, cleanses, pills, creams, supplements, and even food itself. For example, women’s health and fitness magazine Shape, November 2002 issue feature the article “No Time for the Gym? Get Fast Results at Home!” Some people disagree with my opinion saying this is a positive influence because we need to exercise. I agree that we need to promote exercise and a healthy diet in the media to influence a healthier lifestyle. But when women’s magazine frequently publish articles that encourage popular diets that are unhealthy and guarantee the perfect body in a short time. In this way, the media influences a unhealthy way to contain a healthy body image and can lead to eating disorders by conveying false information to readers that suggests unhealthy eating habits are really healthy and good. The images portrayed in the media promote the use of diets, exercise and beautification products by expressing a common message, if use this product you will be attractive. For example, Diet pills are advertised in the media as a quick and easy fix to lose weight to achieve the perfect body. Weight loss advertisements effect more women because they are targeted towards them according to National Eating Disorder Association, “Female magazines contain 10.5 times more advertisements and articles promoting weight loss than in male magazines.” A lot of women resort to using unhealthy diet method and diet pills because the increase to be thin. A study involving 869 school girls aged 14-16 found that more than one third (36%) of the girls reported using at least
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one extreme dieting method in the past month (Grigg, M. et al). Another popular trend that is used to achieve the perfect body is cosmetic surgery to achieve the perfect body. By targeting women in weight-loss advertising as well as in fashion and beauty advertising, our media are stating the belief that women are weak and susceptible to this influence to conform to a specific physical appearance. And largely, that has proven to be true with the epidemic of eating disorders we are facing in this country, as well as the general obsession with weight that has become pervasive throughout the nation. Though some argue that this images promote a decrease in obesity in our society I argue that it promotes a unhealthy way to achieve it and a unhealthy body weight. In order for us to decrease obesity the media needs to illustrate picture of realistic women who are a healthy weight and decrease the number of advertisements for junk food. Negative body image and eating disorders women have increased and have become a huge problem in the United States due to media. Women are taking desperate measures like starvation, throwing up, laxatives and diet pills to conform to this “ultra-thin” image we see on television, magazines, advertisements, and is exemplified by our celebrities.
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Works Cited Aufreiter, N., D. Elizinga, and J. Gordon. "Plenary Presentation." Proc. of Third Annual Eating Disorders on Campus Conference, Penn State. 2003. Web. "Body Image Reality Check | Media Influence | Anorexia | Bulimia | Eating Disorder." Kids Chat | Teen Chat | Free Online Kids Games | Safe Kids Website | Kidzworld.com. Web. 30 May 2011. <http://www.kidzworld.com/article/800-a-body-image-realitycheck>. Grigg, M. "Disordered Eating and Unhealthy Weight Reduction Practices among Adolescent Females." Preventive Medicine 25.6 (1996): 748-56. Web. Maine, Margo. Body Wars: Making Peace with Women's Bodies : an Activist's Guide. Carlsbad, CA: Gürze, 2000. Print.
National Eating Disorders Association. Web. 30 May 2011. <http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/about-us/contact-us.php>. Sypeck, Mia Foley, James J. Gary, and Anthony H. Ahrens. "“No Longer Just A Pretty Face.”." International Journal of Eating Disorders. 36.3 (2004): 342-47. Web. University of Wisconsin- Madison. ""Sweeping Analysis Of Research Reinforces Strong Media Influence On Women's Body Image."" University of Wisconsin- Madison (2008). Science Daily. 12 May 2011. Web.
Madison Teas Professor Mendonca English 1301 30 May 2011 The Media and Body Image The media, is known as the fourth pillar of democracy, has a huge impact on society, both negative and positive. Opinions can change overnight and celebrities can become infamous with just one wave by the media. The media can affect a wide variety of groups, but have the most influence on women. The way they portrays women in television, movies and advertisements cause negative effects on women physically and mentally. The media has contributed to the increase in negative body images and eating disorders through advertisement’s and its constant focus on thin, beautiful women. There a number of factors that contribute to negative body image and the development of eating disorders, but the media plays a large role. This is because media plays such a huge role in our everyday lives that it is almost impossible to get away from it. The average US resident is exposed to approximately 5,000 advertising messages a day (Alfreiter, Elzinga & Gordon, 2003). Many of this messages are advertising what is consider beautiful. A study of 4,294 network television commercials revealed that 1 out of every 3.8 commercials send some sort of “attractiveness message,” telling viewers what is or is not attractive (Myers et al., 1992). Images dis-
played by the media help define cultural meaning of beauty and attractiveness and are often associated as one of the reasons for the rise in negative body images. Today’s images of ultra-thin celebrities and models give viewers the definition of beauty as thinness. Female celebrities and models often serve as role models to women, influencing our fashion, beauty and view of life.
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Over the last couple decades celebrities and models keep getting thinner. Todays model weighs 23% less than the average american woman; 20 years ago the differential was only 8% (Maine, M 2000). Also a large number of female celebrities are a lot thinner than celebrities used to be and are clearly skinner than the average American woman (Sypeck et al., 2004). The ultra-thin bodies of celebrates and models are plastered all over different forms of media conveying the message “thin is in”. For example, if you open a Victoria Secret magazine you will find the super-slender models that demonstrate societies definition of beautifulness. Many people argue that this images are a positive influence we need in society because of the high obesity rates. However, when women are surrounded by these images of unnaturally thin women and our convinced they are of normal weight and that such low weight is healthy and desirable. This is just as much as a health risk as being overweight. University of Wisconsin researcher Dr. Shelly Grabe and psychology professor Janet Hyde conducted a extensive analysis of 77 previous studies that include 15,00 subjects. In these studies they found that viewing ultra-thin celebrities and models illustrated by the media increased negative body images (Science Daily, 2008). This encourages some women to lose weight even when they do not need to because they feel their bodies are inadequate to these super-thin body images. Most of the images in the media that women compare themselves to are unrealistic and unattainable. This is because many of these images are not even real, the photos of this beautiful women are altered through expensive technology like airbrushing. Another reason why this body image is unrealistic is because people have different body types which make it impossible to be that thin. Only 5% of females in the United States naturally have the body type that is consider “ideal” ( National Eating Disorder Association). Also often we forget celebrities live a very different life style then we do. They have access to personal trainers, nutritionist and money for
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plastic surgery. Sarah Michelle has publicly said this about thin celebrities,"How can women be as thin as we are? We have personal trainers to work us out. We have special prepared meals” (Kidz world). By showing these images that only a few women have it encourages eating disorders like starvation. Nowadays you cannot read a magazine or newspaper or turn on the TV without encountering promotion for weight loss.Weight-loss promotion is everywhere, and it comes in many forms: weight-loss plans and support groups, diets, fasts, cleanses, pills, creams, supplements, and even food itself. For example, women’s health and fitness magazine Shape, November 2002 issue feature the article “No Time for the Gym? Get Fast Results at Home!” Some people disagree with my opinion saying this is a positive influence because we need to exercise. I agree that we need to promote exercise and a healthy diet in the media to influence a healthier lifestyle. But when women’s magazine frequently publish articles that encourage popular diets that are unhealthy and guarantee the perfect body in a short time. In this way, the media influences a unhealthy way to contain a healthy body image and can lead to eating disorders by conveying false information to readers that suggests unhealthy eating habits are really healthy and good. The images portrayed in the media promote the use of diets, exercise and beautification products by expressing a common message, if use this product you will be attractive. For example, Diet pills are advertised in the media as a quick and easy fix to lose weight to achieve the perfect body. Weight loss advertisements effect more women because they are targeted towards them according to National Eating Disorder Association, “Female magazines contain 10.5 times more advertisements and articles promoting weight loss than in male magazines.” A lot of women resort to using unhealthy diet method and diet pills because the increase to be thin. A study involving 869 school girls aged 14-16 found that more than one third (36%) of the girls reported using at least
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one extreme dieting method in the past month (Grigg, M. et al). Another popular trend that is used to achieve the perfect body is cosmetic surgery to achieve the perfect body. By targeting women in weight-loss advertising as well as in fashion and beauty advertising, our media are stating the belief that women are weak and susceptible to this influence to conform to a specific physical appearance. And largely, that has proven to be true with the epidemic of eating disorders we are facing in this country, as well as the general obsession with weight that has become pervasive throughout the nation. Though some argue that this images promote a decrease in obesity in our society I argue that it promotes a unhealthy way to achieve it and a unhealthy body weight. In order for us to decrease obesity the media needs to illustrate picture of realistic women who are a healthy weight and decrease the number of advertisements for junk food. Negative body image and eating disorders women have increased and have become a huge problem in the United States due to media. Women are taking desperate measures like starvation, throwing up, laxatives and diet pills to conform to this “ultra-thin” image we see on television, magazines, advertisements, and is exemplified by our celebrities.
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Works Cited Aufreiter, N., D. Elizinga, and J. Gordon. "Plenary Presentation." Proc. of Third Annual Eating Disorders on Campus Conference, Penn State. 2003. Web. "Body Image Reality Check | Media Influence | Anorexia | Bulimia | Eating Disorder." Kids Chat | Teen Chat | Free Online Kids Games | Safe Kids Website | Kidzworld.com. Web. 30 May 2011. <http://www.kidzworld.com/article/800-a-body-image-realitycheck>. Grigg, M. "Disordered Eating and Unhealthy Weight Reduction Practices among Adolescent Females." Preventive Medicine 25.6 (1996): 748-56. Web. Maine, Margo. Body Wars: Making Peace with Women's Bodies : an Activist's Guide. Carlsbad, CA: Gürze, 2000. Print.
National Eating Disorders Association. Web. 30 May 2011. <http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/about-us/contact-us.php>. Sypeck, Mia Foley, James J. Gary, and Anthony H. Ahrens. "“No Longer Just A Pretty Face.”." International Journal of Eating Disorders. 36.3 (2004): 342-47. Web. University of Wisconsin- Madison. ""Sweeping Analysis Of Research Reinforces Strong Media Influence On Women's Body Image."" University of Wisconsin- Madison (2008). Science Daily. 12 May 2011. Web.
