...mainstream media tend to promote these ridiculous beauty standards. Television and fashion magazines only show one kind of body type, which is unrealistic and unattainable. Media shows who and what teenagers are supposed to look like in order to be considered attractive. The media puts pressure on adolescents to look a certain way which can cause body dissatisfaction, and can lead to mental and eating disorders. The body-type ideal that mainstream media promotes is a negative body image that causes body dissatisfaction. In a study conducted on girls and young women, the results showed that exposure to media correlates with body dissatisfaction (Grabe, Ward, and...
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...your vision gets blurry and you have to grab hold of something while your head is pounding. Just imagine not being able to go to the beach with your friends because even in 80 degree weather you get goose bumps. This is the true life for many women and some men around the world with eating disorders; it takes over your whole life. Today the idea of being beautiful has contributed too many young women forming preposterous body image expectations leading to eating disorders. Eating disorders do not only have one cause. Eating disorders are complex conditions that arise from combination of long-standing behavioral, biological, emotional, psychological, interpersonal and social factors. Scientists and researchers are still learning about underlining causes of these emotionally and physically damaging conditions. According to NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) some of the general issues that contribute to the development of eating disorders have been generalized. Some may argue that the media is not to be blamed for antagonizing eating disorders, but the influence of the media cannot be overseen. Young women in today’s society deal with numerous body image problems, only to find that the media contributes overstate that to look good you must have the perfect body. All that is seen on the billboards are thin models; young women immediately see these pictures and seek to be unbelievably thin like...
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...Abnormal Eating Habits Four out of ten individuals have either personally experienced an eating disorder or knows someone who has. SIRS data base reports that an eating disorder is an illness caused by abnormal eating habits. There are two specific types of eating disorders. They include anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Some would also classify binge eating as an eating disorder, but it is not officially recognized by the APA. You can recover from these illnesses. Restoring a healthy weight and the use of psychotherapy are some ways you can get treatment. If not treated, these disorders can cause even more health problems. These health problems include slow or irregular heartbeat, high or low blood pressure, tooth erosion, heart failure,...
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...Abstract The main purpose of this extended project dissertation is as following: to explore the causes of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, in particular the biological, psychological and societal causes. Eating disorders are becoming increasingly common in today’s society and the causes of theses disorders are not completely known. This essay explores the symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, the risks and consequences of suffering from such disorders. The essay also concentrates upon how eating disorders are gradually affecting more and more men and children – something that was not often seen before. The main focus of this project is to discover whether the causes of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa stem from pre-dispositions which are linked with the body and mind or rather stemmed from society. The main biological reasons which the essay focuses on are; damaged hypothalamuses and genetic hereditariness. The main environmental causes of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa that I have studied are media influences and undesirable conditions for raising children. In writing this project I believe that I have developed valuable skills that I will need in my subjects which include; being able to extract key information from large pieces of text, researching, speedy note taking and the ability to weigh up two sides of an argument fairly and without bias. I am also aware that the skills I am developing while writing this dissertation...
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...picture perfect image of beauty. They will starve themselves, force themselves to purge, or even limit their calorie intake just to make them feel happy about themselves. Eating disorders can cause more problems than good and lead to a more devastating slippery slope that can cause unimaginable damage to ones body just to make it “beautiful.” So, what is the true meaning of beauty? Susan Bordo made a strong stance against the perfect body image against the formation of eating disorders. She claims that everyone is susceptible to forming an eating disorder due to what the media calls “beauty”. The media’s version of beauty...
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...Eating disorders are a huge problem many people face on a daily basis. The National eating disorder associations states that eating disorders are conditions that arise from factors including physical, psychological, interpersonal and social issues. Most eating disorders tend to occur in people between the ages 12 and 18 but are possible at any age. Eating disorders are serious problems that can lead to many health issues and possibly death. Eating disorders are hard to avoid and harder to overcome, for some people it seems impossible, its a way of life not a choice (source 1). According to Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc., without treatment, up to 20% of people with serious eating disorders die. With treatment, 2 – 3% of people with anorexia die. Statistics on anorexia show that mortality rates from anorexia are the highest of any psychological disorder. Anorexia statistics show that with treatment, only 60% make a full recovery. About 20% make a partial recovery, meaning that they may be able to hold a job and maintain some superficial relationships but remain very focused on food and weight. They may continue to abuse laxatives or diet pills. They remain underweight. The final 20% stay dangerously underweight. They are seen frequently in emergency rooms, mental health clinics, inpatient hospital units, and eating disorder treatment programs. Statistics on anorexia show that between 1 – 5% of all female adolescents and young women are anorexic. Statistics...
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...develop eating disorders or depression. Teens in this era are at a great risk to the exposure of self-harm and judging themselves all because of the current stereotypes for men and women. Everyone at some point in their lifetime have dealt with body-image issues, some more severe than others. Many people have died from severe cases of disorders like anorexia or mental disorders because they were so obsessed with their bodies or faces being perfect. Many people commonly binge eat then do strenuous exercise to work off all the weight they just gained, but that makes people...
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...struggle with self-worth as well as depression. Many of these lead to more severe situations, such as eating disorders or even suicide. The idea which has created these issues has developed over time through media and the fashion world. The idea that women are to look a certain way and wear a specific size has caused much turmoil for those living in the Western world. It has been proven through research and studies that show the impact media and advertising has on a woman’s self-esteem as well as her self-image. It has become a cultural idea for women to have thin, curve-free bodies, which cause women who do not fit the image to feel body dissatisfaction along with an importance of the woman’s weight leading her toward depression. Though men can be effected by the stereotypes of body images, it is higher amongst women (Rizon and Fallon, 1988). How Media Portrays the Thin-Ideal The media portrays the thin-ideal through many different aspects. It almost always uses a communicator (the person who is used to relay the message of how thin is the best body image), a message (this is different depending on the type of media used), the channel (which is also different depending on what message the communicator is trying to portray), and finally the audience (who the communicator desires to reach through his or her message using a specific channel). An example of this type of media would be a Weight Watchers commercial. Recently, they have begun to use Jennifer Hudson as a spokesperson...
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...adults have suffered from eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. Eating disorders cannot be controlled when it has reached a certain point and could be fatal to the human body. People always blame the media and models for these disorders because the actresses are always so skinny. What people do not know is that eating disorders can be caused by other things rather than the media and models. When people hear that someone suffering from anorexia they automatically think it is because they want to be a model or an actress, when in reality it could be because of emotional reasons. People need to realize that the media is not always the main cause to an eating disorder, they are dangerous to the body, and there are ways to prevent the disorder. Parents of the teens can be a big help to prevent teenagers to obtain such a disorder. Eating disorders are abnormal behaviors dealing with foods which mostly effect high school and college students. These disorders are divided into three categories: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating which they all are the most difficult mental illness to diagnose or cure. There are a variety of reasons doctors cannot cure or diagnose people with these conditions for the simple fact of people being in denial that they have an eating problem. Studies have shown that depression and eating disorders have a connection so doctors often give patients antidepressants for the use of treating the disorders. About eighteen million...
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...Eating disorders are a topic that has existed for many years. Scholars and researchers have completed many studies in order to find the various causes and factors that contribute to an individual’s likelihood of developing an eating disorder. The author of the article describes that eating disorders have had a long history of being greatly influenced by the media. The media’s portrayal of extremely thin models and celebrities as beautiful, has caused women to feel dissatisfied with their bodies and with such dissatisfaction, eating disorders among young women have also increased. Previous history of the media’s influence also includes the fact that the ideal female body has become increasingly thinner over the past fifty years. Many of the celebrities and models that are regarded as ideal examples of female beauty are often individuals who are extremely thin and often considered anorexic. As there is more emphasis on being thinner for women and as pressure is increased by both the media and other factors, many young women have come to desire bodies that are much thinner...
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...Body Fat and Eating Disorders Derrick Murphy SCI/241 Clayton Wilson 0ctober 25, 2012 Body Fat and Eating Disorders Describe body composition and the risks associated with excess body fat. Body composition is the body’s relative amount of fat to fat-free mass. People with optimal body composition are typically healthier, move more easily and efficiently, and in general, feel better than those with less-than-ideal body composition. Body composition is divided into two separate types of mass: fat-free mass which is comprised of all of the body’s non-fat tissues and body fat. Fat –free mass includes bone, water, muscle, and tissues. Body fat is literally fat located within the body. Some fat is necessary overall health: it helps protect internal organs, provides energy and regulates in body regulates hormones that perform various functions in body regulation. Excess fat has been linked to numerous health problems such as increased risk for diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Having excess fat, specifically surrounding the internal organs, can damage your health and contribute to serious medical conditions such as liver disease. Assess factors that influence the obesity epidemic? Body Fat and Eating Disorders A main influence in the obesity epidemic is the media. The media is constantly advertising restaurants and fast food. Numerous studies have proven that personal food choices, lack of exercise...
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...Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental disorder. Although there are many different types of eating disorders, the three most common types are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Eating disorders are a very serious emotional and physical that can be a life-threatening consequence for both men and women. Eating disorders are usually caused by bullying, self-esteem, and disliking your body. Anorexia Nervosa is a serious eating disorder that can cause long- lasting effects on the body. Some symptoms are extremely restricted eating, extreme thinness, and low self-esteem. Over time, it may develop into thinning of the bones, brittle hair, and nails, low blood pressure, dry and yellow skin, etc. They may see themselves as “fat”, but in reality, they are dangerously underweight. If you are too underweight, your organs could fail; resulting in death. Bulimia Nervosa is another serious eating disorder that involves consuming a huge amount of food and then purging to throw it up. Some symptoms include discoloration of the teeth, swelling of the jaw or gums, calluses on fingers from self-induced vomiting, etc. Some serious side effects are gum disease, hemorrhoids, ruptured esophagus, or kidney failure. Bulimia can...
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...the increased use of digital enhancement used in media advertising, namely Photoshop. (Purtle, 2012) ("Mirror, mirror", n.d.) Studies have shown that American children receive an estimated 5,260 messages of attractiveness through the media, by adolescence. The United States also has the world’s highest rates of obesity and eating disorders. This statistic crosses a melting pot of backgrounds and cultures which eliminates any genetic reason; instead societal messages from the media should be addressed. (Ross, n.d.) Advertising Photoshopped Women Social problem Eating disorders in the United States has been a social problem for many years, with up to 24 million people of all ages and genders affected. 50 percent of these people also fit the criteria for depression and only 35 percent of these receive treatment. Considered a norm violation type of social problem, many eating disorders are directly and indirectly caused by the media advertising digitally altered body images in their campaigns. ("Eating disorders statistics", n.d.) Thus, the problem can now be considered a system-blame problem, which, blaming the system is only part of the truth behind eating disorders, and proves to absolve the person of responsibility for the disorder. (Long, 2012) Manipulation of images used in advertising through the use of Photoshop or some other digital tool can contribute to unrealistic body image expectations, eating disorders, and other emotional problems. (Diller, n.d.)...
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...magazines, and the media all contribute to girls not being comfortable in their bodies because of airbrushing the models or making the actors excessively workout or diet to get to a specific size. Famous people are supposed to be role models to teen girls, but the way the famous people are portrayed actually makes young girls not love their bodies and themselves. As girls reach a certain age, they begin to look at their bodies differently and want to see a change. These girls will try anything like dieting, diet pills, or even starving themselves to see this change, but the emotional and physical effects are never thought of when trying to lose weight a certain way. Average sized people should be portrayed more in the media because of the medias impact on body image perception of young women. Anorexia is a disease that involves unusual eating habits and self-starvation. The people who are affected are mostly young women, but people of either gender can become anorexic at any age. The most common cases of anorexia are found in young females, athletes, and people portrayed in the media. There are many physical effects that an anorexic person will experience. Weak bones are a common negative effect which really hurts an athlete. Hair loss and skin discoloration are other effects that effect both men and women. Other diseases can result from anorexia such as anemia or heart disease. All eating disorders have physical effects that are not portrayed from the media. There are also...
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...Eating disorders Stephanie Collard BEH/225 9/10/14 University of phoenix Eating disorders What is hunger? Hunger is the motivation that tells us when we need nutrients for our body. Hunger is a basic biological need that our body experiences. When we “feel hungry” our body's drive us to find sustenance. However, not all hunger drives are based on nutritional needs, there are certain biological and psychological factors that motivate our hunger. Biologically, our hunger drive comes from the hypothalamus, a gland that when given the appropriate stimulation excretes a hormone that tells your body when to be hungry and when to be sated. Biologically, this gland is motivated by homeostasis, or body equilibrium. This means that this gland is generally stimulated by specific conditions in your body, such as blood sugar, chemicals in the blood stream, or body temperature. Once the optimal conditions for your body are reached, the hypothalamus will send out a hormone that tells your body it is full, and to stop eating. Non biological factors are when we are motivated to eat even when our hypothalamus is not sending any cues. Factors such as stress, boredom, certain smells, or just having food in front of you can cause a motivation to eat. Alternatively, developing an aversion to foods is quite easy, if you associate certain foods with nausea or illness, or if you ate a lot of a specific food during childhood due to poverty or other unhappy circumstances...
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