How Does Body Image Affect Society

Society is greatly affected by the media’s outlook on different aspects of life and has a large effect on body image. Body image in America has been a growing problem for years as more young women feel the need to do anything they can to stay thin, trying to live up to what society has taught them is beauty. Body image is how someone perceives his or her body; therefore there is a variation of problems that can result from body image dissatisfaction. Some of these include low self-esteem, depression, self-harm and eating disorders. First off, an eating disorder is defined as a mental illness. It is primarily associated with three major types of disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating, and Bulimia Nervosa. Each sickness has its own side effects,
According to Juliann Schaffer, “Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is actually the most common eating disorder in the United States. BED affects an estimated 2.8 million people in the United States.” Binge Eating is a serious mental illness where people experience a loss of control and overeat on a regular basis. Health effects of binge eating include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and even gallbladder disease. People with Binge Eating Disorders consume disproportionate amounts of food in one sitting. During periods of binge eating, these individuals experience a sense of loss of control over their food intake. They often experience feelings of remorse or humiliation following these binge eating episodes. Binge Eating Disorder is common between all age groups, races, and income rankings, but is most dominant among women. However, it is the most common eating disorder among men. Individuals with binge eating disorders may display a mixture of symptoms such as feeling out of control while eating, eating a lot even when they are not hungry, and eat really fast and eat past the point of feeling full. Nevertheless, there is treatment for this type of eating disorder. Treatment will aim to help individuals end the binge eating, discuss the physical and emotional factors of their binge eating, and discuss steps toward long term
It is commonly categorized by binge eating that is the followed by purging. Purging can occur through forced vomiting, extreme exercise, or by taking laxatives. It is often time hard to notice and diagnose the individuals that suffer with bulimia. Typically, individuals with bulimia are at a normal weight or even overweight. They often have an unrealistic body image and they are obsessed with their weight. These people are highly self-critical and have a poor self-esteem. Although the exact reason as to why Bulimia Nervosa develops, there factors that can impact the development. These factors include anger issues, depression, perfectionism, and even impulsiveness. This type of eating disorder not only has effects emotionally, but physically as well. Some physical factors that are effected by bulimia include kidney failure, heart problems, gum disease, tooth decay, and digestive issues. Unlike the two types that were previously discussed, Bulimia Nervosa treatment emphases not only on food and nutrition education, but also mental health