Anorexia Information
Medium (Weight), Media and Models Attention for Anorexia and Obesity
Anorexia Info! The first warning sign is that a person with Anorexia Nervosa
is getting thinner and thinner day by day. Furthermore, despite the fact that they are getting thinner they do not realize this
and they still sustain that they are feeling fat and refuse to eat every time, coming up with excuses, saying that they are not
hungry or they are on a diet.
251a
The brand "Dove" (from the company Unilever) is leading a new trend. They advertise with "real" and normal women rather than
with exceptional models. I've not noticed other companies advertise like this, maybe there are, but Dove is sure one of the
companies who have a stake in the ongoing catwalk-discussion; "Is the current norm for a catwalk girl still normal?"
Newspapers increasingly write about the current norm: After speaking to a recovering anorexic teenager, Hannah and Rebecca
consider whether the media is to blame for the images it suggests as body "perfect".
(www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/yoursay/newyouth/morgan_llwyd/features/media.shtml)
At the other end of the spectrum we find the problem of obesity. And even though obesity seems an individual problem, the
cause is more likely to be societal; obesity is a by-product of over exposure to the television culture and underexposure to
sports.
Does the current beauty norm that is portrayed by the media, contribute to the obesity-problem? For example by the
"near-anorexia-"girls that get invited to the catwalk, instead of some more healthier female colleagues. The lower we set the
norm in sense of weight for the catwalk, the lower the average weight will be. And a lower average weight will turn more people
into the obesity category.
Anorexia Info! Both anorexia and bulimia are completely treatable. People with
eating disorders need professional help from doctors and psychiatrists.
If we increase the norm for models to a more "normal" weight, than we will probably have less women who will feel
uncomfortable and this will probably increase the incentives to loose some weight. Not too extreme, but enough to feel happy.
And the world around us, the media ... they could just follow. In fact they will if the new standard is accepted by the
public.
There are good examples, like the previous mentioned Dove. If, for another reason, television is one of the causes of obesity,
this same television could help to address the problem of obesity. A more healthy television will probably give an incentive to a
more healthy society, with lower underweight and less overweight.
In Madrid the "skinniest models" are already banned from the catwalk
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2349467,00.html). Will others follow?
Anorexia Info! Unfortunately, some people have a pro-anorexia attitude and
encourage those with anorexia is their obsession. There are quite a few groups and forums where the anorexics discuss their
problems and encourage each other.
2006 Hans Bool
Hans Bool is the founder of Astor White a traditional management consulting company that offers online
management tools. Have a look at some of our free management tools
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