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Weighing In: Does American Culture Encourage Eating Disorders?

By KRISTEN STERNBERG | NIE Educational Consultant

According to an article published in The News-Journal, eating disorders affect millions of Americans every year. More than 9 out of 10 cases involve adolescent and young adult females, and eating disorders are showing up in younger kids, especially girls, at an alarming rate. Are American kids increasingly pressured to be model-thin?

Many people believe that mass media is partly responsible for the pressure, because in movies and television, as in advertising and elsewhere, there's a real emphasis on thinness as beauty. There aren't too many actors and actresses--and supermodels, superstars and superheroes-who are not thin. Unfortunately, not all people realize that. Luckily, most people recognize that they're not being fair to themselves to expect to look like movie stars!

Eating disorders can be classified into several categories. Anorexia nervosa is a condition in which someone has a distorted self-image. Anorexics typically think they are too fat, so they starve themselves to become dangerously thin. Bulimia nervosa is another type of eating disorder. Those who are bulimic may "binge eat" (eat excessively) and later "purge" the food from their bodies by vomiting, using laxatives or over-exercising. People with bulimia nervosa tend to be preoccupied with food and their self-images, thinking they are fat when they're really not.

Others may compulsively binge eat without purging. Compulsive overeaters may feel that food controls them so much they can't stop eating. Binge eating is just one cause of obesity, a disorder that, like the other examples above, sometimes has severe health consequences. Take a look at this newspaper article about the zooming rate of obesity. Many have died of eating disorders. Your body requires a balance of nutritious food and exercise-neither too little nor too much of both!

Luckily for most, obsessing about eating-or not eating-is a condition that recedes as we mature and learn to accept ourselves as we are. When we have a more positive self-image, we are more likely to live a healthy lifestyle. For some, though, it might seem impossible to break out of the cycle of an eating disorder. Many face serious health risks, including death, if they don't seek help. Fortunately, there are many people, groups and agencies that understand eating disorders and can help victims return to a more positive lifestyle. Talking to a trusted friend or adult is a great first step for those who have questions.

How much responsibility do you think popular culture and the media carry in this controversy? What other influences might contribute to poor self-esteem? Before you formulate your opinions, check out the rest of this page!

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Try these interesting activities using The News-Journal

1. Achieving personal fitness is a goal many people share. Check out the Sports section in your newspaper, and choose a sport you particularly like. Make a list of the ways being actively involved in that sport can help keep you fit. Then, act out some highlights of a recent game or match as described by the newspaper's Sports writer.
Sunshine State Standards: HE.A.1.2.2, HE.B.1.2.4, PE.A.1.2.1, PE.A.1.2.3, PE.A.1.2.5, PE.A.2.2.2

2. Are you familiar with the metric system of measurement? Many foods in the United States are labeled with metric equivalents. In your newspaper, find at least five advertised foods or drinks that give metric measurements. Convert each amount to its U.S. equivalent. If you need to peek at a metric conversion chart, follow the link to this sample on the Web.
Sunshine State Standards: MA.A.3.2.2, MA.B.2.2.1, MA.B.2.2.2, MA.B.3.2.1, MA.B.4.2.1

3. Search your newspaper to find a recipe for a nutritious snack or meal you would enjoy. Think about what unhealthy snacks/meals your new creation might replace. With a parent or guardian's permission, follow the recipe and then sample and share your snack/meal with friends or family.
Sunshine State Standards: HE.A.1.2.10, HE.B.1.2.1, HE.B.1.2.4, HE.B.1.2.5

4. Turn to the comic strips in your newspaper to study how female characters are portrayed. Clip and paste selected strips onto a sheet of paper. Alongside each, write a sentence stating whether the female characters are portrayed in a positive or negative way. Do you think your findings are realistic examples of how females are viewed in today's culture?
Sunshine State Standards: HE.B.2.2.1, LA.D.2.2.3, LA.D.2.2.5, LA.E.1.2.4

5. Celebrate your self! Select a newspaper story that describes someone you admire achieving a goal or an honor. Consider whether or not the person's weight has anything to do with the accomplishments? Now, imagine that you are to be honored, at some future date, for a similar achievement. After examining how the newspaper article was written, write a story about your future self and your accomplishment.
Sunshine State Standards: HE.B.3.2.4, HE.C.1.2.4, LA.E.2.2.3, LA.E.2.2.5, PE.A.3.2.2, PE.A.3.2.4

A copy of Florida's Sunshine State Standards can be found at intech2000.miamisci.org.

Check out these links to learn more

The Newspaper Association of America's web site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. and around the world. Visit the site and check some of them out, to see if they have recently published any articles about eating disorders. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state. Click on the "Internationals" button to view choices from other countries.

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