Eating_Disorders_and_Media

Media and Skinny These days, it seems as though not only during the summer months, but year-round, the newsstands are displaying magazines of which almost every issue has a thin, beautifully airbrushed swimsuit model on its cover. Your television is showing more and more unhealthily thin actresses. Bones are jutting out and implants are taking the place of real breasts. Most of these supermodels and actresses are so unnaturally thin that they risk infertility, osteoporosis and, ultimately, kidney damage. This obsession with thinness seems to be a sort of domino effect. One actress looses weight to please the media; next all her co-stars are losing weight to keep up. Actress Courtney Thorne-Smith (size 4) has said that if she had not been on the TV show Ally McBeal, she'd have been 5 pounds heavier--but couldn't risk it for fear she'd have looked 'big' next to her size 2 co-stars. "I would run eight miles, go to lunch and order my salad dressing on the side. I was always tired and hungry." says Courtney. Meanwhile, her famously thin co-star at the time, Calista Flockhart, preached the benifits of spinning (vigorous workouts on stationary bikes). "At first it hurts your butt, but you become addicted to it like a maniac." says Calista, who, incidentally, is size 2, 5'6", and 100lbs. Does anyone ever think about how the overload of these images in the media affects the average woman' Well, for most women it doesn't exactly have a positive effect. In fact, the idea of the media's "ideal" woman often makes "normal" woman self-conscious -- even if they have nothing to be self-conscious about. Judging from what I've seen at the beach, not many men feel the same way. This bad self- image and shyness that many women feel, in most cases, can be directly linked to what they see in fashion magazines, on the runway, and in other forms of the media. What most women and men don't realize is that every image of a model or actress in a fashion or beauty magazine (or catalog) has been touched-up using the latest computer technology to remove bulges, pimples, stretch marks, etc. Elizabeth Hurley even admitted that her breasts were electronically enlarged for the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine. "On my last Cosmo cover," she explains, "they added about five inches to my breasts. It's very funny. I have, like, massive knockers. Huge. Absolutely massive." - Elizabeth Hurley for Details magazine Christy Turlington explains to Elle magazine... "Advertising is so manipulative," she says. "There's not one picture in magazines today that's not airbrushed.”... "It's funny," Turlington continues. "When women see pictures of models in fashion magazines and say, 'I can never look like that,' what they don't realize is that no one can look that good without the help of a computer." Beyond that, there are about 100-300 professional photographs taken for each published image you see. They are taken from the absolute best angle in perfect lighting with the clothes pinned just so. And as if that wasn't enough, the models hair and makeup is always professionally done and is constantly touched up by a makeup artist and hair stylist standing by to make sure nothing looks less-than-perfect. "I think women see me on the cover of magazines and think that I never have a pimple or bags under my eyes. You have to realize that's after two hours of hair and makeup, plus retouching. Even I don't wake up looking like Cindy Crawford." - Cindy Crawford According to Prevention magazine, a "healthy weight" for a woman who is 5'9" is 129- 169 pounds. An average 5'9" model's weight is somewhere around 110-115 lbs. Cindy Crawford is an example of an exception to the rule: she is a model (although it's not very often that you see her--or anyone her size--anymore), and yet she's not stick-thin. Cindy Crawfod has lots of muscle--and it looks good. She is the kind of woman more magazines need to have on their covers and in their editorials. She projects strength and beauty. "I am not the skinniest model," says Cindy. "But I have had success as a model, so I feel more confident putting on a bathing suit and standing in front of a camera. In life, I have all the insecurities anyone has. It's a cliché, but we're our own worst critics." ~ "I finally realised that I don't have to have an A-plus perfect body, and now I'm happy with the way I am." - Drew Barrymore There is a definite impact these Hollywood role models have on younger viewers. For most teenagers, the ideal person they want to be is a famous model or actress - and the emphasis is very much on external appearance. Perhaps this is part of the reason that so many teenagers today are unhappy with their appearance and are often on a diet and is currently leading to eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and even obesity. Recent studies have shown that anorexia and bulimia are becoming more and more common these days and 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, 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. People with anorexia can suffer a number of potentially fatal medical conditions, including heart disease, kidney and liver disease, and potassium and magnesium imbalances that can lead to heart failure.  In addition, they often suffer from osteoporosis (thinning, brittle bones), low blood pressure, ulcers, dizziness and fainting, irregular heart rhythm, headaches, nausea, and a myriad of other physical problems.  Anorexic statistics indicate that they also experience anxiety, depression, and other psychological problems as well. Anorexia is much more prevalent in western culture than in non-western countries.  Some believe this has to do with the media in western society, which portrays thin women as beautiful and desirable.  Anorexic statistics do not tell us for certain, however.  It should be noted that anorexia statistics do show that anorexia and other eating disorders seem to be on the rise in non- western countries, possibly due to more exposure to western media and culture, and this is just the beginning many people also suffer from bulimia which is surprisingly common.  The statistics on bulimia tell us that it’s most prevalent among Caucasians, and at least 95 percent of all bulimics are female.  It’s most common during the late teens and twenties, but has been found to occur in children as young as six years old and can certainly occur in older adults as well. The bulimia statistics don’t tell us what causes the disorder.  Bulimia is far more common in industrialized, westernized countries where we are inundated with media images of thin women.  The average American fashion model is 5’9” to 6’ tall, while the average American woman is only 5’4” tall.  The average American fashion model weighs 110 to 118 pounds, while the average American woman weighs 142 pounds.  Women often try to emulate the near- impossible appearance of the fashion models, and this can lead to eating disorder. This problem we all face can have such a negative impact on people nationwide, many teens and adults currently face psychological problems associated with the media and this skinny portrayal of perfection. Many people suffer from anorexia, bulimia and even obesity caused by depression. These problems are no laughing matter many people have lost or are losing control of their lives, caused by the obscure view of beauty. A recent survey commissioned by a British magazine found that: 79% of the 2000 women surveyed thought that their social lives would improve if they were thinner, like the star of Ally McBeal. 83% thought that overweight celebrities led unhappy lives, and 70% believed that overweight people were generally seen as less intelligent and less attractive. 88% of girls feel the need to "look perfect", 60% say their appearance is their biggest concern in life. Recent statistics provided by Natural Health magazine found that: 44% of women who are average or underweight think that they are overweight. The average woman's dress size is 12 and the average mannequin's dress size is 6. The average height and weight for women age 18 to 74 years old: 5'4", 138 lbs. In a survey conducted by Better Health Channel, they found: Normal weight men and women - 45 per cent of women and 23 per cent of men in the healthy weight range think they are overweight. Underweight women - at least 20 per cent of women who are underweight think that they are overweight and are dieting to lose weight. According to a recent Prevention/NBC Survey, 60% of women have dieted or are on a diet, 44% of women refuse to be photographed in a swimsuit, and 37% of women won't play beach games while wearing swimsuits. The only way to stop this problem is to make a change, the media needs to realize that people’s lives are at stake, they need to make a change and let it be known that beauty is not being underweight, skinny and unhealthy, beauty, is taking care of your body, by eating right, exercising and staying healthy. Citations: Facts on Body and Image," compiled by Jean Holzgang. Just Think Foundation web site. [Online: http://www.justthink.org/bipfact.html . Last retrieved April 14, 2000] Fox, R.F. (1996). Harvesting Minds: How TV Commercials Control Kids . Praeger Publishing: Westport, Connecticut Goode, E. "Girls' Self Image Survives Effect of Glossy Ads." The New York Times , August 24, 1999. Maynard, C. (1998). "Body Image." Current Health 2 "Magazine Models Impact Girls' Desire to Lose Weight, Press Release." (1999). American Academy of Pediatrics Media Influence on Teens. Facts compiled by Allison LaVoie. The Green Ladies Web Site. [online: http://kidsnrg.simplenet.com/grit.dev/london/g2_jan12/green_ladies/media/ . Last accessed April 13, 2000]