nicate, as well as educate, our society is that we are getting no help from the media, in fact, they are a deadly contributor that leads to eating disorders(Zinn). We need to start regulating, or thus changing the way, the media advertises, because many young children are getting brain washed by all the emphasis that they are putting on being thin (Berzins, 2000). In essence, what researcher are trying to suggest is that by constantly showing slender women and people with perfect bodies, our youth are starting to believe that this is the way that they are suppose to be, when actually a healthy average woman is 5'4" and weights 140 pounds and the average model is 5'11" and weighs 117 pounds so most fashion models are thinners than 98% of American women. (What Causes Eating Disorders?, 2001). In a few studies conducted it showed that in the in many teen magazines, the majority of the articles published in them had to do with weight loss will improved appearance in the long run (The Media, Body Image & Eating Disorders, 1997). Another study revealed that on an average 1 out of every 3.8 commercials were directed towards body image and attractiveness (The Media, Body Image & Eating Disorders, 1997). And just to prove that teens and even young children are hearing these media messages, one devastating fact is that “42% of 1st-3rd grade girls claimed that they wished they were thinner and wanted to diet” (Collins, 1991). One thing that everybody needs to keep in mind is that diets rarely work and if for some chance it does you will more than likely gain the weight back within a few years. Also what people who want to lose weight need to keep in mind is that, it isn’t really dieting that is so bad and unhealthy, rather the type of dieting they choose. Regular exercise and maintaining a balance diet is a healthy safe way to keep in shape. On the other hand these crash diets that cut out all the crucial proteins and vi...
