Anorexia: Newspapers, Television Stations and Magazines, Advertisements (Essay Sample)

Anorexia: The Role of Media
Joseph V. Somba
University of Nairobi
Anorexia: The Role of Media
The mass media, especially in the Western world, has contributed a lot in the development of eating disorders. Anorexia which is the lack of appetite is the most common form of eating disorder, which develops mainly in ladies, and more so adolescent girls. It is a medical condition in which one skips meals regularly or even refuses to eat completely in order to attain a certain body shape and loose weight. Such a medical condition is mainly caused by the influence of the mass media, which puts too much emphasis on women’s beauty regarding weight and shape (Terry, David, & Harrison, 2015) . In this essay, the contribution of the mass media in the development of eating disorders has been discussed and substantiated with adequate research.
Firstly, recent research from numerous sources shows that there has been a decrease in weight in many actresses, beauty pageant contestants and models who are mostly viewed as the ideals of beauty (Craig, 2015) . This creates a social context in which eating disorders are the order of the day. People are made to believe that beauty is all about a certain body shape and loosing weight. In an attempt to look attractive young gullible ladies start skipping meals at the expense of one’s health. The research further proved that there was a considerable increase in weight in the women who never get obsessed with beauty. Thus, it created a discrepancy between the actual body size and shape of a lady and what the mass media focuses on. This is a proof of the Fact that the mass media contributes in the development of eating disorders.
Secondly, as we all see on regular basis in newspapers, television stations and magazines, advertisements have also helped in developing a social context in which people are not contended with their own bodies. The dissatisfied ladies resort to disordered eating habits as they try to achieve the body shapes mainly focused on by the mass media (Donald, 2015). Many women’s magazines usually have relatively more diet related articles as compared to men’s magazines. In general, research shows that with the increase in diet related advertisements, there has been a notable decrease in the weight of many models and beauty contestants, while the weight of the regular woman has rather increased. This is simply because the media has created a kind of a consumption based culture in order to make people buy their products so as to improve their looks. The media in this case, therefore, constrains many ladies to a prison of unachievable beauty in which they strive to skip meals at the expense of one’s health. This, the media does by putting too much emphasis on the importance of one’s appearance. Once again, this shows how the mass media is a major contributor to the development of disorderly eating habits.
Thirdly, a large percentage of adolescent girls read fashion magazines for an average of 6 hours on a weekly basis (Gibson, Mel, & Arnold, 2015). In relation to a large readership, it appears that many fashion magazines have greatly impacted the way many young ladies identify themselves in regard to their gender and their roles as per their education. It has also had an impact on their values and what they believe in. In a recently conducted survey, many young ladies revealed that they were so obsessed with loosing weight, that if they had to choose among all magic wishes, it would be their topmost priority. It has been even deemed normal for ladies to be obsessed with weight loss such that psychologists came with the term ‘normative discontent’ to explain their discontent with their bodies. Ladies who spend most of their time reading fashion magazines usually have a tendency of disorderly eating more than those who are not too much exposed to the mass media (Wendy, 2004). This shows how the mass media contributes in developing eating disorders.
In conclusion, it is evident that the mass media is a significant contributor to the creation and dev...