Americas Obsession With Weight Loss and Body Image

Americas Obsession with Weight Loss and Body Image Introduction Concern with weight and body image is a widespread preoccupation for many Americans. In a study of college students 74.4 percent of normal weight woman and 46 percent of normal weight men said they thought about their weight or appearance all the time or frequently (Body Image, 2012). Focus on appearance is at an all-time high in American culture increasing the potential for negative body image. Poor body image increases the risk for extreme weight/body control behaviors. Researchers have found that increased preoccupation with appearance and body dissatisfaction put people at greater risk for engaging in dangerous practices to control weight and size. Extreme dieting, exercise compulsion, laxative abuse, vomiting, smoking and use of anabolic steroids have all been associated with negative body image. (Body Image, 2012). Body Image Body image encompasses how we perceive our bodies, how we feel about our physical experience as well as how we think and talk about our bodies, our sense of how other people view our bodies, our sense of our bodies in physical space, and our level of connectedness to our bodies. Over the past three decades, while America has gotten heavier, the ideal woman presented in the media has become thinner. Teenagers are the heaviest users of mass media, and American women are taught at a young age to take desperate measures in the form of extreme dieting to control theirShow MoreRelatedFood Addiction1518 Words   |  7 Pagespsychological pain when they do. Body weight and image become a fixation that damages relationships and has severe health consequences. Food addiction is a disorder characterized by obsession with food, the accessibility of food and the expectancy of pleasure from the intake of food. Food addiction involves the recurring consumption of food against the individuals bette r judgment resulting in loss of control and anxiety or the limitation of food and obsession with body weight and image. In todays society theRead MoreEssay on Food Addiction in America1499 Words   |  6 Pagespsychological pain when they do. Body weight and image become a fixation that damages relationships and has severe health consequences. Food addiction is a disorder characterized by obsession with food, the accessibility of food and the expectancy of pleasure from the intake of food. Food addiction involves the recurring consumption of food against the individual’s better judgment resulting in loss of control and anxiety or the limitation of food and obsession with body weight and image. In today’s society theRead More Social Networkings Influence on Eating Disorders Essay1001 Words   |  5 Pagesthe emotional and physical damage this disease can cause. The root cause of having an eating disorder is still undetermined, yet some doctors and physiologist believ e the new focus on a perfect body, shown by the media is to blame. Society’s portrayal and promotion of a thin body image as the ideal female body contributes to eating disorders and poor self-esteem in many woman and young girls. Eating disorders are a group of illnesses characterized by abnormal eating habits. The American PsychiatricRead MoreBulimia and Anorexia Essay1062 Words   |  5 Pagesus the introduction of a television into the population of Fijian.(â€Å"Case†) The media has contributed to eating disorders in America’s teens. A number of studies show that sexual abuse, trauma, and even bullying can bring you to eating disorders. (â€Å"Case†) Such a genetic make-up is a time bomb for distorted thinking about body image. Then the person will dislike there body image and will stop eating.(â€Å"Case†) Laura was diagnosed with anorexia as a teen. She only was 65 recovered by 20, relapsed at 48Read More Enjoyment of Being a Girl: Overcoming Industry Standards Essay1489 Words   |  6 Pagesnegative images of women. These places all share one thing; negative images of women. Women are being used as a sex object and are not portrayed how the average woman looks. These por trayals can lead to loss of self-esteem and also weight loss. Women should know that they need their spiritual health to live happily and not be influenced by the images that the media portray as the â€Å"perfect† body. Women need to have a feeling of being safe, powerful and comfortable within their own bodies. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"MediaRead MoreMovie Analysis : The Blonde Barbie Doll1725 Words   |  7 Pagesenchanted the preteen girls to work towards being pretty, lovely and with a perfectly accessorized wardrobe that accentuated their long legs and a tiny waistline. Barbie thus became the best-selling toy in the industry and an integral identity in America’s culture. Within the first few days after its introduction, the blonde Barbie had an immediate materialistic impact in the lives of millions of girls. As such, Barbie transcended above the normal roles of a toy by defining and pushing the female fashionRead MoreThe Media s Influence On Women1659 Words   |  7 Pageswestern culture your image seems to be the most important. From watching models strut down a catwalk to music videos, we are constantly reminded of how we should look. Not only does our appearance matter, but our behavior as well. Women on television are constantly fighting, backstabbing, and being obnoxious in attempts to be recognized in the celebrity world. The media is the leading outlet to the people of the world. It affects everybody whether you want to believe it or not. Body dissatisfaction isRead MoreCelebrity Culture Forms Real World Distractions1450 Words   |  6 Pagesmatters in life are the â€Å"wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the steady deterioration of the dollar, the mounting foreclosures, and the climbing unemployment rate† (Hedges 21). For this reason, celebrities are representing a society where appearances and images are valued more than real-world problems. Appearances make everything whole. Plastic surgeons, fitness gurus, diet doctors, therapists, life coaches, interior designers and fashion consultants all, in essence, promise to make us happy, to make usRead MoreThe United States Is The Biggest Cosmetics Industry1662 Words   |  7 Pageswomen unrealistic standards of beauty, often set forth by different forms of social media. One of many examples would be Victoria’s Secret’s â€Å"Love My Body† campaign. Victoria’s Secret released a photograph of eight supermodels, none of which are truly representative of a typical woman. Many women were outraged at the company, saying that they were body-shaming and promoting an unrealistic standard of beauty. Another society-produced beauty standard is the ide a of a â€Å"thigh gap†, which is thought toRead MoreThe Sexualization of Women Today1692 Words   |  7 PagesThe TV and Film Industry’s Portrayal of Women has drastically affected many of their lives, much too often women compare themselves to the female images they see on television, film, and advertisings; at both the conscious and subconscious level, these media images of women lower self-esteem and affect behavior at every age and stage of life. We know they are unrealistic, yet they apply so much pressure on women to conform, and influence how we live, love, work and play. This gender role that society