"Thomsen, Weber, and Brown (2001) found that as many as two-thirds of high school girls are either on a diet or plan to start one and that women and girls engage in unhealthy dieting practices in an effort to imitate the ideal images prevalent in magazines. Results show 88% of the girls surveyed are sometimes or always on a diet, which is consistent with the research. Unhealthy eating practices were reported by girls in this sample; notably, half the respondents take diet pills with varying degrees of frequency." Sauer and Robles-Pina, 2003
I chose this quote because the information presented was disturbing to me. It was difficult for me growing up with the images on television and in Seventeen magazine and now with the advent of new technologies, I can't imagine how difficult it is for children and adolescents, as they are constantly inundated with unreal images of how they "should" look. It is shocking that half of the teenage respondents in the study reported using diet pills. This article is a good example of why we need to teach media literacy in our schools. If our students are taught at an early age that the media image of the perfect body is not realistic, then maybe our teens will be able to make more informed decisions regarding their health practices and self-esteem.
Link:
The preceeding link is an excellent example of the messages that are presented in today's media, particularly those geared toward women. It provides some great examples of photoshopping and the deceit that is contained in many of the images that we see each day.
References:
Sauer, H., & Robles-Piña, R. (2003). Magazines: What adolescent girls are reading and the way they shape body image. Retrieved from http://www.advancingwomen.com/awl/winter2003/SAUERR~1.html
Weight has always been a problem with young girls. Magazines, television and society promote the idea of skinny being beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI agree that teens should be taught not to pay attention what the media is saying or showing. We need to educate the students not to get influenced by magazines, tv shows, movie stars, etc.
ReplyDeleteThere has been some good efforts lately to reveal the extent to which media distorts the actual images of the models they use in advertisements. The next step is social action. Young people can be empowered by organizing boycotts of particular products that engage practices that appear the most damaging to body images and stereotyping!
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