Positive Body Images

The underlying cause of eating disorders is how the individual view themselves.
Positive body images play a vital role in the physical, emotional, and psychological development of adolescents. Alternatively, poor body image can have a wide range of negative consequences, which can lead to eating disorders. This paper will examine the controversial article “The Perils of Eating Disorders” and how it correlates to the research article “Exposing the perils of eating disorders” by Brody and Nagourney. Both articles establish that eating disorders are often caused by unrealistic media messages and images. I also believe that media influences play a role in the development of eating disorders. The media contribute to many eating disorders by creating a toxic environment of a “thin ideal,” promotion of unhealthy and unnatural food desires for high fat and high calorie foods, while increasing the pressure to be perfect in all aspect of our lives. The desire to appear …show more content…
It is this unattainable image that contributes to low self-esteem. Many individual feels as if they must appear this way to gain love and acceptance. It is this promotion of an unrealistic ideal that most American women cannot attain, is the backbone of many eating disorders. Although, we are all exposed to these pressures and ideals, and many women and men are able to ignore these standards. Those with underlying emotional and psychological issues are extremely vulnerable. “Eating disorders are often accompanied by mood, anxiety and personality disorders. In addition, anorexia nervosa is frequently accompanied by obsessive – compulsive disorder and bulimia nervosa and binge – eating disorders are often associated with substance abuse (Becker).” They use food or lack of food as a control mechanism in their