Bak 1 Yar Bak Composition # 2 ENGL 1010 2:30-3:50 Date: 02/11/2014 Professor: L.

Bennett Body Image and Eating Disorders Todays society is not at all how it used to be, especially in the media. When turning on the television, looking through a magazine or newspaper, or even listening to the radio. The media today affects the way teenage girls view themselves. Eating disorders stem from poor body image and low self-esteem which focuses on the way those with eating disorders view themselves compared to society. In the article Hunger for Change in Eating Disorders, Judy Siegel-Itzkovich says that Dr. Rachel Adatto proposed something called the Photoshop Law. Is for models or presenters aren't allowed to have a lower BMI than 18.5. If their BMI is too low, they can't be in a published advertisement (Siegel-Itzkovich, 2013). In response to the Photoshop Law of exposure and pressure exhibited by the mass media, it is apparent as to many people and remains highly displeased with their body size. Although the media has provided us with substantial evidence to suggest that they are accountable for the steady rise in eating disorders one must not mistake it for being the only cause since eating disorders arise from several interacting complex issues which this essay will go on to discuss. Teenagers weren't constantly seeing unusually thin people, who most likely have an eating disorder, are extremely unhealthy, or are photo shopped, they would feel better about their own bodies. A similar law as the Photoshop Law could help solve the problem of eating

Bak 2 disorders and poor body image in the United States. If teens realized that it isn't natural for models and celebrities to look like that, the pressures of Body Image, states that eating disorders are a very real issue, but the struggle to be thin often outweighs the risk. Its like story of Stacy London, from What Not to Wear, gives an example of the pressure to be thin that lies within magazine companies. She states that she was so devastated that she couldnt be like all the beautiful people she worked with at Vogue", a popular fashion magazine, she consumed tens of thousands of calories a day in order to curb her depression. Stacy could have easily developed an eating disorder like bulimia since she was constantly eating her emotions of not feeling good enough for her work place. She gained a lot of weight, and her fianc left her due to her new look. While being surrounded by "flawless" people, disheartened feelings about the reflection in the mirror and why you dont look as good as they do begin to surface. These feelings, as seen in Stacy Londons story, are what begin to destroy positive body image and that is what eating disorders stem from. The problem is that models in magazines give teenagers motive to starve to perfection so they can look the way they do. However, teenagers do not realize that the pictures they see in the magazines are not natural, the pictures they see arephoto shopped. Perhaps society shows its Influence on Body Image and Eating Disorders Approximately 8 million people in the U.S. have eating disorders, thats about 3% of the entire population. That means that 3 out of every 100 people are diagnosed or suffer from extreme eating habits including starving, binge eating, purging after eating and over exercising in order to get rid of their calorie intake. Eating disorders stem from poor body image and low self-esteem which focuses on the way those with eating disorders view themselves compared to society.

Bak 3 Throughout our adolescence ages into the adulthood stage many of young women struggle with our idea of what the perfect body type is ever changing however it is always influenced by the Medias perception of what the perfect body image should look like. We all idolize these images we see on television and in magazines and some of us would do anything to look just like them. This image forces us to have self esteem issues. These advertisements are damaging both our mental and physical state of being Many young girls who take extreme measures to live up to the Medias perception of the perfect body type are more likely to develop one of the many body image disorders. The average age a girl starts to diet is eight. When a girl becomes obsessed with dieting and looking better, they can easily become anorexic or bulimic. 79% of teenage girls who vomit are dedicated readers of woman's magazines. The medias standard of perfection puts stress and pressure on young girls to be. In my opinion, I would agree that the media does influence and promote young teenagers to believe that the culture's standards for body image are ideal. The phrases, "thin is in" and "the perfect body" are two examples of "eye-catching" headlines that I observed in many women magazines. Ive learned that the media influences us through television, fashion and health magazines, music videos, film, commercials, and various other advertisements. Sadly, as a result, this repeated exposure, the "thin" ideal, can lead many young girls in triggering eating disorders, depression, low self-esteem, stress, and suicide. I think the problem is that people that dont agree that these issues exist due to social pressure also dont feel that the people affected dont need professional help. Currently, more teenagers know someone who suffers or has suffered from an eating disorder than ever before. The numbers have continued to grow since media has taken over teenagers lives. As a solution, individuals need to take action towards stopping the influence of society on the way young

Bak 4 people think of themselves. If they can control what they post online and take responsibility for holding their peers up to the unrealistic standards, the body image issue could soon dissolve itself. On the other hand, society needs to change the way they describe beauty. If simple changes like this can take place, eating disorders will soon be prevented. I believed that, eating disorders are a serious issue and this country needs to wake up and realize how many teenagers are at risk from their continuous push to conform and look like one another. Looking around, its easy to overlook body image issues because of the rising obesity rates. However, just because some teenagers are considered obese, it doesnt mean that society isnt still pushing for a thin body. Technology has made it too easy for websites and blogs through the Internet and social media. Over half of the participators said that Facebook makes them feel more conscious about their weight.

Media of these sorts are overlooked by most Americans, but they can cause serious emotional instability. Some will eventually resort to an eating disorder to feel adequate to those that surround them. Websites of this type need to be concealed, monitored, or even shut down, Americans need to look to help and aid those that suffer from these dangerous disorders, by making treatment accessible. Society also needs to change what they show as beautiful. By banning or disclosing Photoshop in magazines and advertisements, society can learn to appreciate natural beauty. This also will decrease the want to be eating disorder skinny. If solutions arent carried out, more teens are going to continue to feel pressured to be the perfect size.

Bak 5 Siegel-Itzkovich, Judy. "Hunger for Change in Eating Disorders." Jerusalem Post (International). 17 Feb. 2013: 6. SIRS Issues Researcher.Web. 20 Feb. 2014. Statistics: How many people have eating disorders? (n.d). Anred. Retrieved from http://www.anred.com Laureance, J. (2012, Nov, 28). Hundreds of websites urging girls to starve for perfection. The Independent. SIRS Issues Researcher.Web. 20 Feb. 2014. Statistics: How many people have eating disorders? (n.d). Anred. Retrieved from http://www.anred.com Totally in control. (n.d). Social issues research centre. Retrieved from http//: www.sirc.org

Zuckerman, S. (2012, October 8). My long battle with eating disorders. People, 78 (15). Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com