Anorexia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Anorexia - Research Paper Example (2006). Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders. Acad Psychiatry, 30, 257-261. On one side while the prevalence and incidence of obesity is rising, on the other side, the rates of eating disorders too have soared, both in men and women. Some of the common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Infact, adolescents are challenged with these conditions and the etiological factors for development of problems at such an young age appear to be a interplay of several factors like media projection of thin personality, eating and exercise patterns in the family and surplus availability of tasty, but non-nutritious food. The media provides ideas for various means of losing weight in order to achieve the thin ideal. Information delivered by media thus are often based on fad trends, with financial incentive and without any scientific backing. The net result is that several adolescents feel the cultural pressure for becoming thinner, more than that required for optimum health and they attempt to fit into this through nutritional choices that are either poor or dangerous or both. Throughout history, female beauty has been standardized and is often unrealistic and actually difficult to attain. Those belonging to higher socioeconomic strata are likely to conform to these beauty standards. Infact, women are willing to both endure pain and sacrifice comfort. Adolescents are often concerned about their weight and shape. In addition to the real health risks of obesity and poor eating habits, these youngsters are also exposed to thin beauty ideals that are unrealistic. It is very unfortunate that there is overemphasis of thinness among youngsters, because of which they equate thinness and beauty with success and health. The media provides ideas for various means of losing weight in order to achieve the thin ideal. Information delivered by media thus are often based on fad trends, with financial incentive and without any scientific backing. The net result is that several adolescents feel the cultural pressure for becoming thinner, more than that required for optimum health and they attempt to fit into this through nutritional choices that are either poor or dangerous or both While the reasons for anorexia among adolescents are varied, in majority of teenagers, the motivating factors are dissatisfaction with body image and desire to appear thinner. Losing weight attempts are often associated with different behavioral changes like alterations in the regular eating habits and change in the frequency of exercising. Adolescent girls who are dissatisfied with their image and are overweight are likely to resort to dieting. The more the degree of overweight, more is the risk of dieting and disordered eating. Infact, there are reports that parental criticism of the adolescent's weight, pressure to lose weight and parental role modeling of dieting are associated with increased rate of dieting and increased risk of development of dieting behaviors tha t are extreme. Perceived over weight, low body pride and dissatisfaction of body image among adolescent females are consistent correlates of binge eating and anorexia. Those with anorexia and other eating disorders, especially purgers perform poorly at school and they are more likely to be active sexually and frequently get involved in sexual or physical abuse. They are also more likely to attempt suicide. Purging and dieting are both