Influence of Modelling in Teenager’s Eating Disorders Research Paper

Introduction

According to Rosemary R. (19970, “ A model can be defined as a person who poses or displays for purposes of art, fashion or other products and advertising.” Modeling industries therefore can be said to be firms that use models as a way of displaying art, fashion and marketing their products. There are various types of modeling. These types include the body part models that display their body parts in shows. Others are the fashion models that display different clothes designs that have been designed. Also fitness models, bikini and fine-art modeling.

Models are highly paid in the modern world and enjoy a lot of attention from people all over the world. The fashion celebrities appear on various public articles or shows. The body types required for the models to have demand of them to maintain their body shape and sizes. For example, in Europe fashion shows, female models should be 1.79m tall, average weights of 50kg, waist (under 24.4 inches) and hips under 35.4 inches. For male models, average height is 6’2’ and weight between 64-75 kg.

Due to the unusual thin shape of fashion models, most teenagers will prefer to maintain their bodies thin like those of models. This is due to the belief that beauty is defined by the models-like kind of body. Therefore, the thin shape of models has been criticized for changing women’s body image and also for encouraging eating disorders in teenagers. In this paper, modeling will be discussed to know whether it should blame for teenage eating disorder.

An eating disorder can be said to be an urge to either eat or avoid eating. It is an unhealthy eating habit and has been observed to affect teenagers’.It affects a person’s physical and mental health negatively. This has raised concerns on the causes of the disorder and how it occurs. Eating disorders have been blamed on several factors, one of them being the modeling industry. Modelling industry uses models to display their products. These models require certain body size and shape that are considered being below the normal or average size in both men and women. The models influence on the teenagers is considered too great to cause eating disorders in them.

Discussion

Teenager eating disorders can be partly blamed on the modeling industry. The modeling industry demand very thin body shapes and sizes of the models. The teenagers tend to interpret the model’s body shape as beautiful. This is because of the media’s portraying of these body shapes and sizes as the ones that ultimately define beauty. The eating disorders in the teenagers (especially young girls) have mounted very great pressure on teenagers to be thin.

The teenage girls have been said to adapt eating disorders like starving, as they try to attain the ‘ideal’ figure, as referred to by the fashion industry. Models expose their bodies all over in the magazines, televisions and movies. Teenagers feel the need to identify with the famous, rich and beautiful models. Some of them even want to join the same field in future. They adopt the unhealthy eating habits as a starting point towards beginning their modeling career.

In reality, an average model’s weight is 23% less than that of an average woman. This is according to the research that has been previously done on the models.The weight that is below average can be said to be’ unhealthy weight’.One way in which modeling causes teenage eating disorders is through the advertisements that are portrayed in the media sources. These advertisements focus on women who are ‘skinny’ as the perfect models. They are seen as the defining beauty in a person. The teenagers in an effort to attain this shape skip meals in order to become much thinner (Millos et al 20050. They tend to either skip all meals in a day, or just take one. For one to be healthy, all meals should be taken and should also be balanced in terms of the nutritional components that are required in the body. This denies them a chance to eat healthy through the balancing of all their meals and nutritional components. They are exposed to the risks of being infected by diseases that are as a result of nutritional deficiencies.

Apart from images of models in the magazines and television, teenagers are also influenced by their parents or older siblings who have eating orders due to the ‘model influence.’ The teenagers are affected psychologically due to their exposure to a constant supply of new diets that the models give through their parents or older siblings.

The models in the industry maintain their size through expensive and professional eating habits. The models are usually trained by their personal trainers in very high technology expensive fitness and weight loss centers (Harrison et al, 1997). In addition to this, their nutritional or diet needs are catered for by professional chefs. The models can therefore afford to pay expensively for weight maintenance services. The teenagers on the other hand cannot afford such services, and therefore turns into eating disorders that also risk their health conditions. They cannot be able to acquire professional services that ensure body weight maintenance

Eating disorders in teenagers have been encouraged by information sources that support skinny bodies, as a result of wanting to resemble the models. A good example is pro-anorexia websites, such as ‘Ana-by-choice’ and ‘anorexia nation.’ These websites support eating disorders in teenagers because they give tips and support girls that may decide to have eating disorders (Long et al 1993). Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa is encouraged. This involves self-starvation, low weight and fear of being fat in teenagers. Self-starvation will involve skipping of all or almost all meals. Foods that provide very important nutrients of the body are avoided, especially those that are considered to have high weight increasing components. These nutrients may become deficient in the body, exposing one to the negative effects of the eating disorders.

The model industry has acknowledged its role in encouraging eating disorders in teenagers. This is because of the beauty that they portray in models as being made up of skinny bodies. For example, one of the Spain’s most prestigious fashion shows went ahead and banned shows. This was as a result of pressure from the government. This move was taken, so that the show projects both the beauty and health. The modeling industry through such actions have acknowledged their role in promoting eating disorders, and at the same time trying to discourage this disorder by banning skinny models from participating in their shows.

Teenagers have resulted to the use of laxative and diet plus. Manufactured products are used to induce weight loss.Most of the times, these products have very great negative effects on the body. This has opened up a big market for weight loss products. Continued exposure to magazines and television features or images of models put more pressure on teenagers, such that lack of success through normal diet, encourages them to turn to use of laxatives and plus that pose great risks to the health of these young people.

The modeling industry has created a culture of belief in the society than the thin and skinny are the most attractive. This fact has been incorporated into the values that the society holds in relation to beauty. According to a 2004 study carried out in England, 75 percent of teenage girls stated that the thin girls are the most popular and most attractive. When these girls fail to look exactly like these models, they get depressed. This indicates that modeling has created a culture of belief that the model’s figure represents beauty. A culture that is accepted in a given society is looked upon as good. This conviction has driven teenage girls into eating disorders.

Globally, various models have been diagnosed with eating disorders. This indicates that eating disorder is a trait common in both the models and the teenagers, showing that they are both very closely related in habits.

On the other hand the modeling industry is not to entirely blame for teenagers eating disorder. According to research, genetic factors contribute more than 56 percent of the risks. These risks increase the possibility of developing anorexia nervosa (Archives of General psychiatry, 2006). This is because personality types influence vulnerability of eating disorders. For example it is stated that some personality types that include obsessive-compulsive and sensitive-avoidant, are more likely to have eating disorders as compared to the other personalities.

According to eating disorders Review, 2002; “people with a mother or sister who has experienced anorexia nervosa, are 12 times more likely than others with no family history of that disorder to develop it themselves.’

Another factor that may cause teenage eating disorders is the age and brain maturation factor. The teenagers are observed to show lack of maturity and a sense of responsibility that is underdeveloped. Due to this teenage actions are likely to be ill considered. The teenagers may therefore be compelled to have disorderly eating habits by their age and brain maturation, other than outside influences. The teenagers conduct other activities without thinking about the consequences of their choices and behaviors. (David.W, 2004).The teenagers seem to think that they will escape the negative consequences of disordered eating.

Psychological factors apart from those induced by modeling industry, also cause eating disorders. A person may be a perfectionist and have expectations of themselves that are unrealistic and unpractical. A person may feel weak in the inside, powerless, victimized, defeated and resentful. An individual lacks a sense of identity and turns to eating in a disorderly manner (Thompson K. 2003).

Family factors cause eating disorders. Parents who overvalue physical appearance may cause eating disorders to their children. Others make comments about their children’s bodies. Families that are overprotective, rigid and ineffective at solving conflicts may induce stress or depression to teenagers who in turn result to poor eating habits. The teenagers due to high expectations from them try to solve their problems. This they do by manipulating weight and food in their struggle to achieve a successful appearance.

According to research science university, teenagers exposed to stress are likely to experience behavioral and emotional problems that are associated with eating disorders (Research paper, Nov.16 ,2005) at society for Neuroscience Meeting in Washington DC). Parent’s eating habits that may be disorderly induce the same eating habits in their children. They learn attitudes on how they should diet through observations.

Society influences cause eating disorders. The appearance-obsessed friends will encourage poor eating habits, in addition to romantic partners (Agras et al, 2004). Relationship conflicts make people vulnerable to eating disorders. Due to these conflicts teenagers feel lonely and even become withdrawn. Their desperation to have healthy relationships cause stress, which they divert towards disorderly eating.

The modern culture of equating success and happiness with thinness, people and especially teenagers attempt to solve their problems they experience in life by tackling their own bodies instead of the problems. Dieting therefore is seen as heroic, and teenagers in trying to boos their self esteem will turn into dieting (Barbara P, 2005)

Medical problems contribute to eating disorders. Diseases like diabetes always demand for selective eating habits. The people who have such diseases then become vulnerable to eating disorders. In the modern world, diabetes is affecting even teenagers. Those who may be suffering from these diseases may result to poor eating habits in their efforts to ensure some certain foods are avoided.

The nutritional compositions of the food products in the market may encourage nutritional disorders/eating disorders due to the unbalanced nutritional value in the foods. Others if consumed continuously cause increased weight, which then, will cause the already overweight teenagers to diet to unhealthy levels.

Eating disorders cannot fully be blamed on the modeling industry. Though to some extent eating disorders in teenagers are as a result of images and attitudes they hold towards models, other factors also contribute to these disorders. Causes of eating disorders in teenagers can be said to be a combination of several factors. They include, psychological factors, genetic factors, social factors and family factors.

Others like sports and games (like gymnastics and wrestling) ma also be a contributing factor. These types of games do emphasize on leanness of the body. This in turn, may influence the participants to engage themselves in unhealthy eating habits or disorders. Drugs and alcohol abuse puts teenagers at very high risks of developing an eating disorder. The modeling industry should therefore not be fully blamed for the eating disorders in teenagers.

Conclusion

The modeling industry portrays thinness as beauty. This tends to make teenagers work very hard to attain ‘model like’ bodies. This cause eating disorders behavior in the teenagers. As earlier stated, eating disorders are caused by a combination of factors. Eating disorders cause other problems for example, both mental and physical health problems. The mental and physical problems that result further encourage unhealthy bodies.

Problems like anorexia (cause dehydration, loss of memory, irregular heartbeat and blood pressure problems) may result. Diseases like the high blood pressure, diabetes and other incurable diseases may develop. Behavioral problems that may also occur as a result of eating disorders include; sexual promiscuity crime, drug and alcohol abuse.The behaviour of a teenager leads even to higher risks of the body. Sexually transmitted diseases may result from irresponsible sexual behaviors of the teenagers. Drugs and alcohol abuse affects the normal performance of a teenager; in social affairs and academic work.

To prevent this disorder, children (teenagers) should be trained to develop self-esteem and positive attitudes about themselves. This can be through medical supervision, nutritional counseling and therapy. Parents should take a major role in creating a healthy lifestyle in their children. The teenagers also need to understand that beauty is not equal to body thinness, as portrayed in the media. The modeling industry should also advocate for beauty and health to sensitize teenagers on the need to eat healthy.

References

Agras W. Steward 2004. “The consequences and costs of the eating disorders”. The psychiatric clinics of North America 24(2): 371.

Archives of General Psychiatry 2006; 63: 305-312.

Barbara P. 2005 Eating Disorders.

David Walsh 2004. Why Do They Act That way? Free Press, Simon and Schuster.

Eating Disorders Review. 2002.

Harrison K & Cantor, J (1997, “the relationship between media consumption and eating disorders” Journal of communication (Oxford University press).

Long, Philip W (1993) Eating Disorders National Institute of Mental Health. Web.

Research paper 2005. Society for Neuroscience Meeting in Washington D.C.

Rosemary 1997 Anorexics on Anorexia.