Keywords: media impact on eating disorders, mass media and mental health
The purpose of doing this research project is to provide a different point of view on the role of the media in this modern time. This research study examines the influences of media effect on eating behaviour and it includes relevant studies and figures regarding this specific topic. The findings of the research are confined to the United States of America and United Kingdom because of the high prevalence of eating disorders as compared to other countries. Essentially, the report addresses the consequences of advertising portraying poor body images, weight damage advertisements and actuality shows as well as the power of Internet in promoting eating disorders. Based on the data, it is clear that the multimedia is responsible for the development of eating disorders in the world. Hence, it is important for taking corrective measures and look into this subject seriously before further harm is done.
1. 0 Introduction
Eating disorders are serious subconscious illnesses that result in people having dangerous eating habits. People who have eating disorders usually have a negative belief with their body image and will attempt to control their weight through extreme dieting, training or purging. In fact, eating disorders can't be segregated from the culture in which they happen. In american countries where thinness is emphasized as an important interpersonal value, millions of women are suffering from eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia and bingeing.
According to National Eating Disorders Connection (2005), about 10 million females and 1 million males in the United States suffer from anorexia and bulimia while 25 million more are struggling with bingeing disorder. Other than psychological and genetic factors, research shows that the media also offers a profound impact on eating disorders. The multimedia has grown quickly over time with the progression in technology and now it gets the persuasive electric power that can manipulate the whole population by shaping people's attitudes and values. This "mind-bending" electricity of the multimedia has brought about many debates from different corporations especially on the issue concerning the damaging effects of multimedia coverage on eating disorders. Therefore, immediate actions have to be taken before this issue becomes increasingly more controversial.
Even though the media gets the power to shape people's habits and attitudes, do you really concur that the media motivates people to develop eating disorders?
Looking further into the issue, we will see that the press is indeed guilty of stimulating eating disorders in the society. It portrays an unattainable standard of body image, gives leeway for pro-anorexia categories to pass on on Internet and promotes diet and weight loss.
This article will show powerful evidence how media encourages visitors to develop eating disorders. They can be many negative effects than positive one. The research findings are restricted to america of America and UK due to their high prevalence of eating disorders compared to other countries.
2. 0 Marketing Helps bring about "Ideal Body Image"
Body image identifies people's perception and imagination of these physical appearance. It is not inborn, but discovered (Ojeda, 2003, p. 8). A study conducted by Anne Becker in Fiji, where tv was introduced as later part of the as the mid-1990s, found that 83% of people felt television had influenced their perceptions and thoughts about body image and size (Friedman, 2007, p. 31). Therefore, the role of the marketing in promoting an excellent body image should not be taken lightly as it can cause harmful effects on one's self-image and self-esteem.
2. 1 Portrayal of Ultra-Thinness
"Twenty years ago, the average model weighed 8 per cent less than the average female, but today's models ponder 23 per cent less" (Marketing Understanding Network, 2010). As time goes on, models and superstars are becoming thinner and thinner to match the unrealistic ethnical standard of beauty. Research implies that unrealistic portrayal of women stereotype in the multimedia can have detrimental influence on one's health. Corresponding to Healthy Within (n. d. ), an average American girl is 5 toes 4 ins tall and weighs 140 pounds while an average American model is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 117 pounds. These super-thin models portrayed by television and magazines make women feel miserable and dissatisfied with their physical appearance. As a result, millions of women who neglect to reach this standard of beauty feel humiliated and guilty and the need to be thin drives them to build up eating disorders.
2. 2 Incorrect meaning is conveyed to the Society
Television is definitely seen as a source for entertainment and information, but nowadays it commences to influence people's thinking and attitudes by emphasizing thinness as a way to measure women's price. For example, bulkier actresses often obtain negative reviews about their bodies and 80% of the negative remarks are accompanied by canned audience laughter (Marketing Consciousness Network, 2010).
Besides that, magazines, television and videos are constantly providing the wrong note that ladies must be skinny in order to be treasured, accepted and successful (Schlundt & Johnson, 1990, p. 59). The portrayal of happy and successful women being extremely slender has a huge impact on women's perception of beauty. It includes forced women to adopt the state of mind that "thin is beautiful" and "beauty is success". When women begin to equate thinness with beauty, they will strive hard to become thin so that they are attractive enough to be accepted in the society. Therefore, in order to attain the ideal body image standard, women violently manipulate their weight and appearance by diets, purging and even self-starvation.
Family Influence
Studies show that family affect is also one of the factors that induce eating disorders. Parents especially moms have significant effect over teens' body image problems. With this society where 'thin is still in', most moms wants their children to look beautiful and lean. Therefore, parents sometimes inadvertently encourage their children to lose weight even though almost all of them are not overweight. Parents usually encourage their children to diet with good motives but teens may misunderstood their meaning to be fat is bad and they should lose weight to be thinner plus more beautiful. Besides that, parents with weight problems have a tendency to be over-concerned about their children's weight and body images. This might cause teenagers to feel the pressure to be slender and start producing unhealthy eating habits to regulate their weight. Since teens take their parents' words critically, negative comments on their weight and eating habits may reduce their self-esteem (Ojeda, 2003, pp. 21-25).
In conclusion, mass media promotes "ideal body image" that can cause women to feel dissatisfied using their body decoration. The portrayal of ultra-thinness through television set commercials, fashion magazines and videos will deliver the incorrect concept to the culture. Because of this, women develop dangerous eating habits to stay slim in order to reach the standard of beauty portrayed by the press.
3. 0 Electric power of Internet
Internet is a powerful agent of socialization and it allows easy access to different types of information. The online world of "pro-ED" (pro-eating disorders) contains hundreds of websites and conversation teams created by people who claimed they have the disorders (Healthy Place, 2010). Each time we stumbled upon a pro-anorexia site, a warning sign can look on the opening page obviously specifying that the articles of the website is pro-anorexic and really should not be viewed by those who are in recovery or those who do not have problems with an eating disorder. However, many people ignore the warning and enter into these sites anticipated to attention.
3. 1 Impact of Pro-Anorexia Websites
Pro-ana websites are online communities for folks with anorexia nervosa (Suite101, n. d. ). These websites have proliferated swiftly because of the rise of Internet consumption within the last decade. They enhance anorexia as a lifestyle choice rather than a life-threatening disease (Friedman, 2007, p. 60). A lot of the items in these sites glorify eating disorders and provide tips how to lose excess weight more effectively. Therefore, those people without eating disorders but actively seeking for ways to lose weight and those with eating disorders seeking for advice to conceal their disorders end up being the victims of pro-ana websites. Besides that, these sites also contain inspiring quotations and poetry that encourage eating disorders. The impact of pro-ana websites is so huge that there is no way again after their first visit on these sites.
Most of the pro-ana websites display "thinspiration" pictures of waif-thin models and famous stars with eating disorders like Mary-Kate Olsen and Karen Carpenter to obtain the attention of impressionable young women (Healthy Place, 2010). After observing these pro-ana websites, teens are more likely to be unhappy with the physical appearance and still have a negative body image. Research implies that individuals put through a single browsing of the pro-ana site will have low self-esteem and be preoccupied with exercise and weight loss, as compared to the control group (Wikipedia, 2010).
3. 2 Online Social Networks
Nowadays, there are extensive social network categories available online such as MySpace, Xanga and Facebook. These online networks have gained reputation among young people in the recent years and eventually become a tool to promote eating disorders among the list of members.
After attaching with one another for years on unidentified and hidden knowledge websites, pro-anorexia communities are actually moving to more general public forums like Facebook to get more people to join their categories (Newsweek, 2008). Many socially isolated anorexics join and become customers of these sites because that is the only means of support available to them. Some said that the sites can help them to overcome the emotions of loneliness and isolation as well as to get attention from others (Healthy Place, 2010). Additionally, they will get a group of friends with the similar disease who understand and acknowledge them as who they are. This makes them believe that they are not alone and thus motivated to transport on using their disorders. In short, pro-ana online networking website is a location for anorexics to establish friendship, gain support and seek solace by sharing their sorrows, joys and achievements with one another.
Social Pressure
People in professions where there's a particular communal pressure to be thin such as players, models, dancers and stars are more likely to develop eating disorders during the course of their career. Studies discovered that around 15% to 25% of sports athletes have eating disorders, especially those involved in athletics that emphasize on appearance such as physique skating, cheer leading and gymnastics (Schulherr, 2008, p. 244). Besides that, stars and models also have problems with eating disorders because they're placed under communal pressure to "look perfect before the camera". To be able to look super thin and sexy, they adopt high diet and self-starvation which can result in fatal health outcomes in the future. For example, Ana Caroline Reston, a increasing legend in the modeling industry passed away of anorexia in 2006. Due to interpersonal pressure, she starved herself by simply surviving on fruit drinks, apples and tomatoes for many years. Finally, when she achieved the desired image of a supermodel, the fatal eating disorders got her life at the age of 21.
In conclusion, the energy of Internet in producing eating disorders among teens should not be underestimated. The slippery dynamics of the web makes the pro-ED world almost impossible to regulate (Healthy Place, 2010). Therefore, pro-ana websites and social networks should be checked so that less people would be misled by the hazardous information inside these sites.
4. 0 Media Promotes Dieting
Dieting can be defined as the attempt to lose weight by restricting food intake. Excessive dieting habit may eventually lead to the introduction of eating disorders because severe weight loss is the principal indicator of anorexia nervosa. When the energy of the press is misused by the marketers to promote diets and their diet products, the press can become a formidable make that leads hundreds of thousands of men and women worldwide to the probability of eating disorders.
4. 1 Contact with Mags and Advertisements
Advertisements in journals and television set are boasting extremely slender models and stars to make women feel that they are fats. When women commence to fear of increasing weight, they will pursuit dieting in an effort to lose weight. Because of this, Americans spend over $50 billion on diet and diet-related products every year (Healthy Within, n. d. ). Because the standard of beauty portrayed by the multimedia is unattainable to most people, consumers won't feel satisfied, and therefore creating an unlimited demand for beauty and weight loss products. Hence, it is for certain that these industries are actually gaining profit from motivating a life-threatening disease in an incredible number of women (Friedman, 2007, pp. 27-31).
Furthermore, studies also show that adolescent ladies who are regular readers of magazines track record higher prevalence of dieting and exercising behaviors to lose weight as compared to those infrequent viewers. Many people start to take up dieting because they are encouraged by the pictures in the magazines. Dieting literature are usually the best-seller because most people are attracted by the dietary plan tips provided inside these books (Schlundt & Johnson, 1990, p. 59). Thus, it is visible that the fear of being extra fat has dominated many young women and adolescent girls which eventually leads them to engage in excessive diets and unhealthy eating habits.
4. 2 WEIGHT REDUCTION Reality Shows
An increasing number of weight loss fact shows are showing on television displays and all of them display major results that can be achieved through dieting and exercising (DietWords, 2010). For instance, "THE LARGEST Loser" is one of NBC's most-watched prime-time programs and it includes attracted roughly 10 million audiences each week (The New York Times, 2009). The program's aim for is to obtain a weight lack of more than 15 pounds weekly through severe caloric restriction and many time of intense exercise. However, healthcare experts disagree with such extreme regime as it is not advisable to lose more than two pounds weekly.
These weight reduction truth shows can have detrimental effects on the health of the contestants as well as the visitors. In order to win the amount of money compensation, some contestants may develop dangerous practices to reduce more weight within the shorter time. On the other hand, viewers are created to believe that rapid weight loss can be acquired from dieting. Subsequently, they may try to emulate the contestants by expanding unhealthy eating conducts to lose excess weight, which eventually leads to long term fatal effects on their health.
Peer Pressure
Peer pressure identifies the affect exerted with a peer group in stimulating a person to improve his or her attitudes, principles, or behavior in order to comply with group norms (Wikipedia, 2010). This is common among teens because most of them spend additional time with their groups of friends rather than residing at home. However, when teens come across with negative peer pressure relating to their eating habits, it's very dangerous because they may lack the maturity to handle this type of pressure. When teens are teased by their friends about their body size and shape, they will feel the urge to regulate their weight by diet, which may lead to the introduction of eating disorders. Therefore, peer pressure is one factor that triggers diets and eating disorders among teenagers.
In realization, the media has taken about a diet obsession in the population. Hence, it is clear that frequent exposure to weight loss fact shows, journals and advertisements can contribute to the introduction of eating disorders.
5. 0 Conclusion
In brief summary, the multimedia is the driving force behind the introduction of life-threatening eating disorders in thousands of men and women worldwide. It reinforces the extreme fear of putting on weight among women by portraying pictures of super-thin models, encourages the development of eating disorders through the widening online world of "pro-ED" and stimulates diets through weight damage actuality shows and advertising. All three quarrels mentioned are obvious cut exhibiting that the press is guilty of promoting eating disorders in the population.
In time, more people will be suffering from eating disorders because of the affect of the multimedia. As the impacts of media affect cannot be seen in the brief run, many people don't realize that it can in fact lead to serious health effects in the future. By enough time they have problems with an eating disorder, nothing at all much can be done except to get treatment and guidance for recovery. Prevention is preferable to get rid of. Thus, before it is too past due, we have to find ways to harness media power once and for all instead of evil.
"When there is no foe within, the opponents outside cannot harm you" (Quotations Daddy, 2010). Therefore, love yourself more and revel in life to achieve delight within yourself, only then you will not be conquered by worries of weight. Avoid eating disorders and you will never regret.
6. 0 Recommendation
The following suggestions have been made to rectify the role of press in promoting eating disorders.
Avoid using underweight models in the fashion industry as they portray thinness as the typical of beauty. Furthermore, this report suggests further work to:
Set the very least accessibility for modeling industry where all models must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of between 18. 5 to 25
Ban models who have a BMI of less than 18
Organize fashion shows that promote healthy body image
Ban pro-ana websites that promote eating disorders as a lifestyle. Furthermore, this report advises further work to:
Introduce laws to impose punishments or fine on any method of mass communication that promotes eating disorders
Establish pro-recovery websites and support groups to encourage those people who wish to seek recovery from an eating disorder
Research the declare that authorities control over the mass media (e. g. censorship) can help to reduce the dangerous contents in advertising and reality TV shows. Furthermore, this report recommends further work to:
Monitor and filter the harmful contents available on any method of mass media including movies, tv and Internet
Organize Eating Disorders Awareness Week and video competition to improve recognition on eating disorders
