How Body Image Is Defined As The Way You View Yourself

Bodies. We all have one yet none of them are â€Å"perfect’, or so we tell ourselves. Body image is defined as the way you view yourself, let it be positive or negative. The images in the media of celebrities and the message they portray about the value of appearances promote eating disorders and body dissatisfaction while impacting the emotional and mental well-being in women. Thin has always been the beauty standard to strive for in America. As stated by many researchers, the models of today are dramatically thinner than the models of the past. As each year goes by, the front cover models and the A-List celebrities reach new levels in their thinness, even reaching a level thinner than the criteria for anorexia (Grabe, Hyde, Ward 2008). All†¦show more content†¦Women make up to 80% of bulimia nervosa patients. Since bulimia sufferers look to be an average weight, it s difficult to see they are struggling. However, both anorexia and bulimia can be treated if detected early on. Models and the pressure to be thin has turned women against their own bodies. These images, the focus on appearances, and thinness has been proven to have a negative impact on women. Magazine articles, television shows, and advertisements have also created a social context that may contribute to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in girls and women. Wiseman and colleagues (1992) found a significant increase in advertisements for diet foods and diet products for the years 1973–1991. â€Å"Beauty and fashion magazines significantly impact the process of identity development in young women, especially with regards to gender-role learning, identity formation, and the development of values and beliefs† (Arnett, 1995; Thomsen et al., 2001). In one survey, the number one wish of girls aged 11–17 who were given three magic wishes for anything they wanted was â€Å"to lose weight and keep it off†(Kilbourne, 1994). Research has shown that the media plays a b ig part in the development of eating disorders, and, therefore, the prevention of these