.....Media such as television, movies, and magazines are among the most influential promoters of the thin standard, given their popularity and accessibility to the American people. This effect is most likely to increase given continuing advances in technology and the increasing popularity and accessibility of computers and the Internet.

Exposure to various types of media promote an extreme ideal body image creating body dissatisfaction that can lead to eating disorder symptomatology Television commercials influence female self concept and achievement aspirations and television often depicts situations in which thin people prosper and larger people are ridiculed Between 1970 and 1990, there was an overall increased emphasis on weight loss and body shape in the content of popular women's magazines, as well as a change in the portrayal of female models to a thinner and less curvaceous shape (focus on dieting and exercise to help improve appearance and attractiveness) High frequency exercisers (as compared with moderate frequency exercisers and non-exercisers) were more likely to exercise to burn fat/lose weight Despite an American public with increasing body weights, Playboy magazine increased the promotion of slimness over the period from 1959 to 1978; Miss America Pageant contestants were also found to be thinner over time, and winners of the pageant since 1970 consistently weighed less than the other contestants Many young women are choosing cigarette smoking as a way to manage their weight For many, the fear of not losing weight and the fear of gaining even a few pounds is far more important than the fear of poor health or preventable illnesses

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©Fall 2001