This last week, I've been working on a research project about how the media's portrayal of beauty affects women's eating habits. So far, I've perused endless articles (seemingly) about the connection between media exposure and eating disorders; the consensus appears to be that although the media cannot be labeled as the sole cause for eating disorders, it certainly does play a role in how some women see themselves and then act on that perception (i.e. eating habits). You can imagine my surprise, then, when I came across this little excerpt in an article on that same topic:
People in societal "pop-culture", whether consciously or subconsciously, perpetuate the ideal of thinness through their conversations, judgments and teasing of their peers and other family members. The associate of shame with weight, as women tend to not want to disclose what they weigh, or do not want to be seen in "this bathing-suit" or "that pair of shorts" contributes to the sense that they should be ashamed of their body size. The chronic passive obsession about weight within families (wife asks husband "do I look fat in this?"), and within circles of friends (first time seeing someone in a while, the comment: "you've gained/lost weight!") continues to emphasize the idea that how we look and what we weigh is of utmost importance. Many of us blame the magazines and diet ads, while we walk around guilty of the same "crimes".
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Quote taken from: http://www.something-fishy.org/cultural/themedia.php
