A critical analysis of the media’s role in the rise of anorexia Essay Example

teenage girls and can be categorized as a psychological disorder.

Anorexia's development is usually attributed to a multitude of factors, encompassing psychological, social, biological, cultural and familial dimensions. Despite some arguments suggesting its roots in genetic or organic causes, the evidence supporting this hypothesis is sparse and research continues. Those battling Anorexia are typically seen as smart, pleasant, and calm individuals from rigid families where they are viewed as 'ideal children'. The commencement of Anorexia nervosa often aligns with difficult phases in young adults' lives. Individuals suffering from anorexia usually possess low self-esteem and grapple with a sense of worthlessness.

Children are educated to pursue perfection, inclusive of maintaining an ideal body shape, which results in feelings of powerlessness as they're controlled and ruled by their parents. As a result, they cultivate anorexia as a method to gain control over one facet of their life - nutrition. By withholding food from themselves, they set limits and take charge of their personal lives. Initially, weight loss earns praises from relatives and peers.

The signs of this condition may result in more dieting as it provides a feeling of control and acceptance to those affected. These symptoms encompass the avoidance of food, notable loss of weight, an abnormal obsession with food, heightened activity levels, skewed perception of one's body, and absence of menstrual cycle. Nonetheless, these instances are usually not reported until the disease has substantially advanced and individuals have notably lost considerable weight.

Further symptoms can include (all of these symptoms have been researched and found to repeat themselves in cases):
* Refusal to maintain body weight at or above 85% of normal for a person of that age and

height
* A distorted body image, with a perception of being overweight even when thin
* Absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles
* Vomiting and abuse of laxatives in an attempt to control weight
* Strict rules about eating
* Excessive exercise
* Efforts to hide or disguise their condition, such as wearing bulky and concealing clothing, vomiting in private and hiding food.

Anorexia can profoundly impact all facets of an individual's existence. Self-starvation could lead to symptoms akin to depression, including exhaustion, difficulty focusing, and a diminishing interest in activities they once enjoyed. It is common for the person afflicted to isolate socially, causing strain in their interpersonal relationships and familial ties.

There is a high risk of encountering health problems connected to starvation, which can include:

• Unusually slow heart rate
• Fine fluffy hair on the face and arms
• Excessive vitality
• Sensitivity to cold - particularly in hands and feet
• Decreased blood pressure
• Hormonal imbalances

In extreme instances of semi-starvation, additional complications might encompass:

• Inconsistent heart rhythm
• Deteriorated kidney function
• Anemia
• Extremely low blood pressure
• Bone fragility (osteoporosis)

The standard treatment usually involves three components: nutritional guidance, personal psychotherapy, and family therapy. An interdisciplinary team often administers this treatment composed of pediatricians, psychiatrists, social workers, and nurses. Some doctors may opt to admit anorexia patients to a hospital until they achieve nutritional stability; others prefer treating them within a family environment.

Irrespective of the starting point of treatment, the main focus of the doctor is to guarantee the patient's intake of food and consequent weight increase. This goal is met by progressively augmenting the calorific content in the patient's everyday meals. In certain situations, being admitted to a hospital might lead

to some advantages being offered as motivation for putting on weight. As referred earlier, anorexia nervosa cases have been consistently escalating in recent years. This surge can be connected with modern-day idols who are noticeably slimmer and healthier than those from many years ago.

During the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe was perceived to embody the perfect American female image, despite being a US size twelve. In contrast, today's representation of the quintessential American woman is Jennifer Aniston who wears a size two. The frequency and intensity of these concerns are escalating, highlighted by a recent thirty-second TV commercial in which nine-year-old boys and girls were shown engaging in conversations about dieting at their tender age. This provocative advertisement ignited widespread public discourse. Interestingly, in this commercial, when the boys recommended soup to the girls as an option for meals, they declined it under the pretext that they were watching their weight.

The boys respond, "Many Campbell's soups are low in calories!" The girls then eagerly request some, while the announcer adds: "With over 30 savory Campbell's soups having less than 100 calories or 3 grams of fat per serving or less. Thus, you can feel satisfied while consuming fewer calories!" Advertisements, particularly diet advertisements, are a significant issue. We are consistently exposed to the idea that losing weight will lead to happiness, often through specific diet plans, via television, magazines, and newspapers.

Even though there is persistent proof that structured diet regimes are not successful in the long run, they remain popularly accepted as effective. Society's notion of the "perfect body", influenced by mainstream culture and fuelled by the diet industry's greed for profits, creates an unending loop of

marketing tactics to persuade us that weight loss equates to improved life quality. Nonetheless, our continued patronage of these deceptive products only serves to motivate the diet industry to increasingly inundate us with their catchphrases.

Parents are imploring individuals in the media and other industries to thoughtfully assess their promotional content and strategies. Although we aim to instill in our children that true value lies within one's character, media often counters this with contradictory messages. Widely-read magazines frequently exhibit ultra-thin supermodels, a trend that has been escalating over time. There have been instances of modeling agencies deliberately scouting for models suffering from anorexia. The typical female model is 25% lighter than the average woman, maintaining a weight level that is 15 to 20 percent below what is deemed healthy for her age and height.

It's not unusual for models to have plastic surgery or be "taped-up" to enhance their physical appearance for photos. Furthermore, images are frequently retouched before they're published. These body standards and pictures aren't normal or attainable for the average individual, yet they're continuously showcased in our society, making us think we should aspire to them. It's crucial for us, specifically children, to continually remind ourselves and one another that these representations are fabricated. A study revealed that dolls resembling Barbie have often been blamed for contributing to the growth of body-image problems and eating disorders.

The dolls not only have physically unrealistic body sizes, but also promote the idea that happiness is linked to material possessions, beauty, and being thin. Barbie has an overwhelming number of accessories for sale, including her attractive boyfriend Ken. She has a variety of occupations such as potty-training her

sister Kelly, being a princess, and most recently, working as a dentist (where she wears a mini-skirt and has an excessive amount of hair). I believe that this perpetuates the notion that materialism, beauty, and thinness are essential components of a happy life.

It's paramount to underscore the importance of educating young, easily-influenced children about the fact that certain figures are not real, despite potentially serving as role models. If your kids show interest in toys like these dolls (as many do), they should be encouraged to stretch their imagination and play innovatively with Barbie - for instance, having her drive a dump truck or fix a car in our home setting. Broadly speaking, it is beneficial for children to interact with an assorted variety of toys and have access to diverse choices. Above all else, they need exposure to actual role models such as medical practitioners, educators, influential historical personalities, artists, authors and parents.

A variety of sources, such as ads, news outlets, internet pop-ups (refer to appendix one for illustrations), and magazines contribute significantly towards the poor self-image that individuals hold regarding their bodies. During the Academy Awards event in March 1995, a mere teenager then, Silverstone shocked everyone by showing up in public despite gaining some weight like many other teens nationwide. However, her bravery and genuineness were overlooked rather than celebrated.

Media reports on Silverstone's participation in the forthcoming Batman sequel were dominated by scathing headlines such as "Batman and Fatgirl" and "Look Out Batman! Here Comes Buttgirl!" Entertainment Weekly took a jab at Alicia, describing her as "More Babe than babe" (People). The director of the anticipated Batman and Robin film, Schumacher, was

taken aback by the harshness of these narratives. He characterized the media portrayal as appalling, distasteful, judgmental, and ruthless. He wondered why this young actress was under attack merely for enjoying a few pizzas. It is common to see images of overly skinny models with breast augmentations that have been digitally enhanced in fashion periodicals or TV programs like Baywatch or Friends.

In the renowned movie The Truth about Cats and Dogs, Janeane Garofalo and Uma Thurman both have significant roles. Despite being seen as attractive, Garofalo's character is depicted as less appealing compared to Thurman's. The prevailing standards of beauty and acceptable body shape have grown increasingly unrealistic. Women are anticipated to maintain a slender figure combined with large breasts and slim legs, akin to preadolescent girls. This promotes a warped view of how actual women's bodies ought to appear, tagging them as improper and unattractive. Consequently, young girls are inundated with these skewed images from television, films, and magazines; this sets an impractical standard of beauty they must live up to resulting in negative consequences.

This statement reflects the cultural landscape we inhabit. Our society places excessive emphasis on appearance, leading to an obsession with impressing others. This phenomenon permeates our daily lives through films and media, where we idolize and aspire to resemble perceived "perfect" celebrities. Individuals are willing to make sacrifices, even at the expense of their well-being, to achieve this resemblance. In many cases, our society crosses boundaries, displaying an unwarranted level of criticism towards others. Rather than embracing diversity and accepting individuals for who they truly are, superficial judgment based solely on physical appearance prevails.

This research demonstrates that the media has

a significant impact on the development of eating disorders. Our society's obsession with being thin and resembling television supermodels is a direct result of this influence. While friends and family may also contribute to the problem, the constant bombardment of images dictating how we should look and be accepted has a greater effect. Therefore, I firmly believe that the media's influences play a much larger role than other factors.