Reflection on Body and Beauty Image in the Media
No matter where you look, you can observe images of female bodies.
They are being used in ordered to sell things from food cars. One can also
observe that popular film and television actresses are a lot younger, taller,
and thinner compared to the previous years. There have been cases where
some have fainted because of the lack of food. Just by flipping through
magazines, the media displays ads, urging that once you lose those last 15
pounds that you can basically have everything, for example, perfect children
There are standards of beauty which is being imposed on women and
the majority are naturally larger and more of a majority are naturally larger
and more mature than any of the models is because of economics. The
cosmetic and diet product industries are assured of growth and product by
presenting an ideal difficult to achieve and maintain. There is no 'accident'
that the youth of today is increasingly promoted which also goes in the
category of thinness as an essential criteria of beauty. This is a major issue
because many women are insecure about their bodies and this leads them to
buy beauty products, new clothes and diet aids. The diet industry is worth
about $100 billion in the United States alone. Research indicates that
exposure to any images of "thin, young, air brushed" female bodies has a
connection to depression, low self esteem and the cause of eating disorders.
According to the American research group Anorexia and Related Eating
Disorders Inc. stated that approximately one in four college-aged women
rely on unhealthy methods of weight control which includes skipping meals,
excessive exercise, laxative abuse and self induced vomiting. Weight control
measures are now being taken by girls as young as the age of nine. Jean
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