Anorexia And Society

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorHigh School, 12th grade February 2008

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It is not surprising that eating disorders are on the increse because of the value society places on being thin.In North America, women are given the message at a very young age that in order to be happy and successful you must be thin.Every time you walk into a store you are surroundd by the images of emaciated models that appear on the front cover of all fashion magazines.Thousands of young teenage girls are starving themselves this very minute trying to attain what the fashion industry considers the "ideal figure" The average model weighs 23% less than the average woman. Maintaining a weight that is 15% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for anorexia, so most models, according to medical standards, fit into the catagory of being anorexic. Teenagers need to realize that society's ideal body image is not achievable. The photos we see in magazines are not either.

Many dont realize those photos go through millions of touch ups and get air brushed before put in front of our eyes. Teenagers striving to attain society's unattainab;e ideal image will just end up increasing their feelings of inadequacy.

Teenagers are under a lot of pressure to be thin.They are lead to believe that the only way they can be accepted and fit in, is if they are thin.They resort to starving, vomiting and eating only diet foods to try to be thin.Television is a big influence on them.They watch shows like Melros Place and feel they need to look as thin as the actresses on these shows.Societyis brainwashing young people into believing that being thin is important and necessary.

Diet comercials are constantly appearing on our television screens telling is that once we lose the weight, we will be...