Body Image Big Issue For Women With Eating Disorders

An important issue is raised that is the root cause of eating disorders, which afflicts four times as many women as breast cancer. Among the many sensitive issues touched on were:

• Girls in their teens and preteens have body image issues
• It is unusual to find a girl who is unconcerned with looking like the ‘perfect’ models in magazines and other media.
• Women actually struggle to be some mythical shape and size; it is a battle that never ends
• The idea is to make women, particularly young girls that thin is not an ideal and healthy
• When a question is asked “would you rather gain a hundred pounds or lose a hand” the answer is not immediate or obvious. It is shocking that girls have to actually needed time to think!
• Barbie is completely unrealistic, and model pictures are usually digitally enhanced. These factors in modern culture can be really misleading.
• The focus unfortunately, is on being thin rather than on studies and on being healthy.
• It is important to realize that thin is not equal to healthy; though there are ‘thin’ messages all around.
• A positive body image is inextricably linked with self esteem and consequently eating disorders.

Source: carrollcountytimes