Media's Influence On Body Image
Body image has become one of the most important factors in people’s lives. It is the way one sees themselves and how they imagine another pictures them. Body image includes people’s imagination, physical appearances, their emotions and perception. Media has been able to influence body image daily, according to NEDA “Over 80% of Americans watch television daily. On average, these people watch over three hours per day.” Television is just one of the few influences; media goes as far as advertisements and even toys. Media causes body image pressures that guide men and women to have false ideal body images which cause low self-esteem and eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. One source of media that causes body image pressures are advertisements.
Advertisements portray images that lead people to strive for the “ideal body” or in other words the “perfect” body. According to Susie Orbach, in her article “Fat is an Advertising Issue”, she explains that “before they’ve even brushed their teeth, their critical selves are planning how punishing to be today.” Women have become so obsessed with the false ideal body images shown in advertisements that they start punishing themselves to a point where they self-induce vomit.
Advertisements portray images that lead people to strive for the “ideal body” or in other words the “perfect” body. According to Susie Orbach, in her article “Fat is an Advertising Issue”, she explains that “before they’ve even brushed their teeth, their critical selves are planning how punishing to be today.” Women have become so obsessed with the false ideal body images shown in advertisements that they start punishing themselves to a point where they self-induce vomit.