11/25/2014

webtext | Media&Disorders

Media & You

Create a

The truth about health

site!

Home

Return to Group Webtext

Media&Disorders

Over-Exercising

Steroids

Food Advertising

Media&Disorders
As stated in an article by Westminister college entitled "Female Body Image and the Mass Media: Perspectives on How
Women Internalize the Ideal Beauty Standard", "The prominence of dieting and maladaptive eating patterns has become an
increasingly prevalent concern in adolescent and young adult populations; research has shown that around two-thirds of
adolescent females report dieting at some point. Further, studies have shown that body dissatisfaction surpasses actual body
mass as the most powerful risk factor for the development of dieting and disordered eating (Serdar par. 4)." As more and more
images of underweight women surface in the media, an increased amount of young girls are falling into habits of dieting at
young ages, despite them being in a normal weight range. The article then continues saying "studies have shown that
individuals who report watching more of television and being exposed to specific types of media (e.g. music television, soap
operas) display greater dissatisfaction with physical appearance (Serdar par. 4)." Time and time again a link has been found
between the amount a person is exposed to media and body image issues that arise. In a culture that so heavily relies on mass
media and advertising, women are at an especially high risk of having low self esteem which can lead to different eating
disorders and unhealthy behaviors. The conclusion this article goes on to say that the images in magazines and on television
are mostly unattainable for the majority of women. These images pressure women of all ages into practicing unhealthy eating
habits including under eating to lose weight, or overeating due to stress about appearance (Serdar 7). Both are unhealthy ways
to cope with this media and can have serious health effects.
This poses the question: what types of disorders can come from exposure to these unattainable media images? Body
Dysmorphia Disorder (BDD) is a disorder in which a person is consumed with thoughts about her appearance. The mental
strain that this causes is overwhelming and can interfere with many different daily activities. Individuals with BDD will seek out
extreme measures such as plastic surgery to correct their perceived flaws (Anxiety and Depression Association of America par.
1-3). Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder characterized by extreme weight loss as a result of not eating or not consuming enough
calories. The woman with anorexia obsesses over her weight and is extremely unhappy with her current body shape (NEDA par.
3). Finally, Bulimia Nervosa is a disorder in which a woman purges the food she eats by vomiting, excessive exercise, or
through laxative abuse. She is also terrified of gaining weight and is unhappy with her current body (NEDA par. 5). All of these
are serious mental disorders that sometimes even cause death. The link between eating disorders and the media is undeniable
and alarming.
Works Cited:
"Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA." Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) | Anxiety and
Depression Association of America, ADAA. Anxiety and Depression Association of America, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014.
Serdar, Kasey L. "By Kasey L. Serdar." Westminster College: A Private Comprehensive Liberal Arts College in Salt Lake City, UT, Offering
Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees in Liberal Arts and Professional Programs, including Business, Nursing, Education and Communication.
.

This site was created using WIX.com. Create your own for FREE >>

"Most Common Eating Disorders | Eating Disorders." YouTube. Howcast, 25 Oct. 2012. Web. 04 Nov.
2014. <http://youtu.be/HOzVGrdDRpA>.

http://klconway96.wix.com/webtext#!about/cjg9

1/2

11/25/2014

http://klconway96.wix.com/webtext#!about/cjg9

webtext | Media&Disorders

2/2