The media is very influential when it comes to people learning about body ideals and the value of being attractive. On average over 80% of Americans watch television for about three hours per day (Media). The media is so powerful that people are constantly being exposed to pictures of models and actresses everywhere they go. Because of this it makes people think that they have to live up to a certain standard of what society considers “beautiful”. The media is used to seek information, entertain, persuade, and to change people. The effects of the media changed how women view their physical appearance in a negative way leading some to become dangerously thin and develop an eating a disorder known as anorexia.
Anorexia is an eating disorder in …show more content…
Two experimental researchers, Helga Dittmar and Sarah Howard did a study on how the media has a negative effect of thin models on women’s physical appearance (Dittmar). Dittmar and Howard found that many models on television, advertisements, magazines, and other forms of media are approximately 20% below their body weight, thus meeting the criteria for being under weight (Dobbins). The media is filled with images of females who fulfill these unrealistic standards, making women think that it’s normal to live up to this ideal body image. In addition, people often forget that these photos of models in advertisements and magazines are often photo shopped to cover up minor flaws or to make the models look even skinner than they really …show more content…
In the research, they found that there was a significant decrease in the model’s body weight and shape throughout the years. Katzmarzyk and Davis stated that 70% of the Playboy centerfolds were underweight and greater than 75% of the women were less than 85% of their ideal body weight (Morris). In one survey, ages 11-17 were asked if they were given three wishes for anything they desired what would it be and the number one answer was to lose weight. (Spettigue). With having a thin figure as society’s ideal body image for women, teenagers think that having an average size body that fits to their weight is considered “fat”. Thus, leading them to develop a strict food diet and causing them to think no matter how skinny they get it would be never good enough and are still considered “fat” to
Anorexia is an eating disorder in …show more content…
Two experimental researchers, Helga Dittmar and Sarah Howard did a study on how the media has a negative effect of thin models on women’s physical appearance (Dittmar). Dittmar and Howard found that many models on television, advertisements, magazines, and other forms of media are approximately 20% below their body weight, thus meeting the criteria for being under weight (Dobbins). The media is filled with images of females who fulfill these unrealistic standards, making women think that it’s normal to live up to this ideal body image. In addition, people often forget that these photos of models in advertisements and magazines are often photo shopped to cover up minor flaws or to make the models look even skinner than they really …show more content…
In the research, they found that there was a significant decrease in the model’s body weight and shape throughout the years. Katzmarzyk and Davis stated that 70% of the Playboy centerfolds were underweight and greater than 75% of the women were less than 85% of their ideal body weight (Morris). In one survey, ages 11-17 were asked if they were given three wishes for anything they desired what would it be and the number one answer was to lose weight. (Spettigue). With having a thin figure as society’s ideal body image for women, teenagers think that having an average size body that fits to their weight is considered “fat”. Thus, leading them to develop a strict food diet and causing them to think no matter how skinny they get it would be never good enough and are still considered “fat” to