Eating Disorders in the U.S. A Byproduct of Advertisements By Liz Alvarez

Eating Disorders In the U.S, people tend to define themselves by how attractive they are (to some extent) Ideals of beauty are reinforced by the media Thinness is usually associated with: beauty success, acceptance, and popularity Positive attitudes such as persistence, determination, and self-discipline It is estimated that 8 million Americans suffer from eating disorders (mostly females) The rate of eating disorders has dramatically increased over the years The media has contributed to the rise of this type of mental illness that causes more deaths than any other mental disorder Models and celebrities are usually very thin, sending the message to young girls that beauty, popularity, and success are associated with thinness Unfortunately, eating disorders are beginning to affect people at younger ages because ads are also targeting children Anorexic Models

Why Ads Contribute to Eating Disorders Advertisements are a reflection of a culture obsessed with thinness and beauty but at the same time ads reinforce this fascination (vicious cycle) Ads portray unattainable ideals of beauty and set impossible expectations for women to meet The extent to which ads influence a person’s life depends on the individual’s vulnerability and personal experiences but they definitely affect how we perceive the world and react to it. Ads promote negative attitudes Shame Depression Anxiety Body dissatisfaction Poor self-esteem Poor self-image Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness They feel that they don’t have control over their lives so they exercise, binge, or avoid eating in order to gain a sense of control This negative attitudes, combined with stress, family history, and family problems, are the perfect combination for the development of eating disorders

Eating Disorders Anorexia Nervosa-people don’t eat enough because they think they are fat so they starve themselves (look extremely underweight) Bulimia Nervosa-the person overeats and then purges using methods such as self-induced vomiting or laxatives (more difficult to detect-fluctuations in weight) Teenagers are more vulnerable because they are impressionable and want to fit in (to feel accepted and popular) Both disorders lead to malnutrition and even death Dehydration Heart disease Suicidal thoughts Depression Kidney damage Digestive problems

Distorted Beliefs People with eating disorders have an intense fear of gaining weight They are afraid of rejection They have a distorted self-image They believe they are bigger than they actually are They are preoccupied with food and weight Western society cultivates a deadly desire for thinness through the media Success and worth=thinness When people cross the line between fantasy and reality and incorporate the fantasy of ads into their daily lives, the results are devastating Their insatiable need to feel accepted leads them down a dangerous path of self-destruction

Works Cited http://www.womenshealth.gov/body-image/eating-disorders/ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/eatingdisorders.html http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/eating_disorders.html# http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/eating-disorders/ http://nursing-resource.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/anorexia-nervosa. http://thinkingdr.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/anorexia-mirror-picture-ross-brown. http://www.anorexicmodel.com/images/anorexic-model-gallery http://www.healthyplace.com/eating-disorders/main/eating-disorders-body-image-and-advertising/menu-id-58/