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Eating Disorders Research Paper

Decent Essays

Media success has always been based on the exploitation of the rare or controversial. Magazines, television, and documentaries always seem to focus on unusual situations or the belittling of an individual’s habits. No one is to blame, however exploiting people and their unhealthy choices should be frowned upon, but society thrives off of the “unknown” and “lesser-seen”. Eating abnormalities seem to have become the newest trend, putting teen pregnancy and drug abuse on the backburner. Shows seem to focus solely on health implications caused by overeating, not eating, or eating foreign objects. Has the media's constant infatuation with the irregular led society to become desensitized to these outlandish topics, or has society begun to …show more content…

Society has focused on eating disorders from both ends of the spectrum, and for a majority of the time the light was on those who ate too little or not at all. Magazines and television commercials have been flooded with too thin women for years, and they were respected and idolized in the fashion community, and in everyday life. People became obsessed with thinness and began to construe a false sense of normality when confronted with an overly thin individual. Searching for the perfect weight has been an ongoing issue throughout society for men and women for decades, and has never seemed to lose its popularity. Society applauds those who can keep off the weight and seem to view unhealthy individuals through a rose colored lense. America’s Next Top Model consists of the thinnest, most beautiful women who are striving to be the next big thing. These women are underweight and work hard to maintain an overly slim physique, and are idolized by millions. Weight loss is a constant struggle for millions of people and are in a constant cycle of dieting too much or intaking more calories than someone should. “There is a slippery slope from dieting to disease, as the 7 million girls and women suffering from eating disorders in this country will attest.” (Martin 1) For generations society has deemed “too thin” to be normal, and has led …show more content…

Obese men and women are beginning to accept themselves for who they are and the health issues that come along with it. Obesity has been a dire issue for quite some time in the United States and is getting worse as time progresses. “The nation will spend… about $190 billion a year- paying for the health consequences of obesity.” (Brady 519) Although obesity rates are skyrocketing, individuals demand that every body is beautiful and the curvier the better, but when does too curvy lead an individual onto an episode of My 600lb Life? All forms of social media have been normalizing those who are unhealthy. Shows like My Big Fat Fabulous Life shows off the beauty of being plus-sized, and how individuals treat you if you are a larger individual. Mainstream media had flocked to obesity and its tabu nature in extreme ways; people are disregarding the health effects of being plus-sized and are crediting it with daring to be different. Growing obesity rates have been one of the main situations that are threatening the health care system. “...the American diet of highly processed food laced with added fats and sugars is responsible for the epidemic of chronic diseases that threatens to bankrupt the health care system.” (Pollan 514) Plus-sized model Tess Holliday is a size 24 model who believes her weight is healthy and acceptable. Her confidence has inspired

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