Discursive_Essay

Have you successfully got ‘the look’ when you are so skinny that your ribs stick out' Is ‘size zero really the size that’s going to make us feel satisfied within' Is starving yourself really beautiful' In a study of children aged 8-10 approximately 50 per cent of girls said that they were unhappy with their size. This is an on-going problem today in society. Studies state that the number of cases of children being admitted to hospital with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia has increased by more than a third in the past ten years. And so I propose the question: is the world of fashion and media to blame' Nowadays the media has major influence on our everyday opinions and choices. Whether it’s how we dress, what music we listen to, what we eat or if we choose to eat at all. It’s everywhere. As well as this so called ‘perfect body’ image. High profile women such as Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie have been blamed for portraying a ‘skinny is good’ message to their young fans. I firmly believe that this is 100% the case. I mean in numerous fashion magazines these women are being commended for their ‘hot’ bodies. So many young girls reading these articles will think to their selves should I look like that' Or this is how I want my body to be. In fact 60% of American girls admitted that magazines influence their ideas on that ‘beautiful’ body. Unfortunately the models we see in all popular magazines today are beginning to get thinner and thinner. Twenty-five years ago the average model weighed 8% less than the average women. Now this number has risen to a staggering 23%. Modelling agencies have been reported to recruit anorexic models. In one case as shocking as it may seem model, Igna Radziejewski was turned away from a modelling audition because she was ‘too fat’. And by their idea of fat they were referring to a size 00 model weighing just seven stone at the age of 21. Furthermore, it’s not just the fashion world that’s the problem. Diet advertisements are another issue. On television and in magazines and news papers we are consistently being exposed to the notion that losing weight will make us feel happier. The About-Face organisation report that: "400-600 advertisements bombard us every day in magazines, on billboards, on TV, and in newspapers. One in eleven has a direct message about beauty, not even counting the indirect messages. However there are many other factors that play a major role in the rapidly increasing number of eating disorder victims. Nowadays bulling is becoming more and more common. It is a widespread reason as to why so many people are suffering with eating disorders. In fact, just recently it was reported that an eleven year old boy suffered with anorexia as a result of other boys his age constantly throwing him jibes about his weight. The young boy who once loved his food began to limit his calorie servings to 1,500 calories per day which gradually decreased to 50. People who are involved in certain sporting activities, like cheerleading, ballet, ice-skating and gymnastics etc may feel under pressure to always look their best and to avoid gaining weight. So therefore some people who are involved in these activities may be at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder. Poor parenting has been implicated in eating disorders. One study found that 40% of 9-10 year old girls tried loosing weight with the urging of their mothers. Also it is thought that people suffering with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia is more likely to have a parent with alcoholism or substance abuse than those in general. Researchers have found that anorexia is eight times more common in people who have relatives with the disorder. Some doctors actually believe that genetic factors are the main cause of eating disorders. From carefully reviewing my essay, I have come to the conclusion that even though there are many factors that trigger eating disorders, for example bullying, the media and fashion world are the leading cause. Nowadays the majority of people own a television or are in some way exposed to the media. In fact it is becoming quite difficult to live a life without any form of media creeping in. The media has such an impact on our lives today that people reading magazines or watching television programs will think that ideal beauty is extreme thinness as most actors, models, singers and football players wee see today are very thin.