I believe my concerns about the media and the images they portray representing success and wealth and sex are all valid and do have an impact on eating disorders.
I also think there is more pressure than the media about being thin. As parents we praise our toddlers for being ‘so cute’. Children are spending more time in front of the TV and playing video games, watching images of men and women that may be heroic but aren’t your average mom and dad. Overweight characters are usually portrayed as lazy and not very bright.
In newspapers, on TV, and in magazines we are continually told that if we lose weight we’ll e happier – buy 4 DVDs for this exercise program, and 6 DVDs for this diet and find happiness. It would be nice, but it doesn’t work that way.
What we should be teaching our children is not only how to live healthy lifestyles but why they should feel proud of their bodies regardless of shape. Adults aren’t very good at this. We often associate shame with weight refusing to wear a bathing suit, asking a spouse "does this outfit make me look fat?’, or greeting a friend with ‘oh, you’ve lost weight’ emphasizing the idea that how we look and what we weight is very important.
Groups of people that have more than their share of eating disorders are dancers, especially ballet dancers, gymnasts and figure skaters, teens and college students.
Ballet dancers are extraordinarily thin, practice and rehearse for hours, and are encourage to maintain a low weight. In 1997 a young ballerina by the name of Heidi Guenther died of a fatal heart attack as the result of her eating disorder. She was 22.
Gymnasts and figure skaters are at increased risk for eating disorders because encouraged to fit the thin profile to please the judges. Similar to dances, they also practice long hours. Nadia Comaneci, Cathy Rigby and Kathy Johnson all admitted to battling with anorexia and bulimia.
Teen years can be confusing as the youngsters are given more independence, make more life choices, and receive more pressure to succeed while dating and seeking acceptance from the opposite sex. Even as their bodies and hormone systems change, they become more at risk for eating disorders.
If you know another group that you think is at higher risk for eating disorders, let us know. Identify the risk group and describe the factors that put them at higher risk.
To your healthy lifestyle,
Ruthan Brodsky
Freelance content marketing for medical professionals and business.
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