Question

Are anorexia and bulimia caused by our society? What are the motivations or social pressures to be thin? What are the major sources of these pressures? Are there other cultures where this pressure does not exist?

Answer 1

• I think society does play a huge role in eating disorders.The unrealistic beauty standards that have been set for women,right from having the perfect body to perfcet skin,coming from various sources like media,whether its the fashion magazines,television shows,movies etc or the people living in the society.
• In Asian Indian cultures,a beautiful girl is considered to be perfect to be married to,who is fair,have perfect physical features,is thin etc.Women who are heavier in weight,have dark complexion are still considered not beautiful.All these societal pressures,do push women on the edge,towards eating disorders and even depression.
• The values that the society places on being thin does have a great impact on eating disorders.In North America for instance,girls are given the message at a very young age that in order to be happy and successful one needs to be thin and fit.
• We walk into a clothing store and see skinny mannequins all around us,with perfect body wearing clothes.Fashion magazines edit and photoshop pictures to create a perfect looking picture of the celebrity on the cover page,with perfect body and other physical features.
• Our society is actually brainwashing people,through television shows,diet commercials,movies,magazines etc. by making all of us believe that being thin is necessary to be liked and accepted by others.All these media sources promote societal pressures about weight,making it a stigma for women.Social media is also responsible for it which provides various sites of comparing onself against a thin ideal and creating more negative body image.Spending so much time on Facebook,Instagram etc. is affecting young girls mental health,leading to anxiety,body dissatisfaction etc.
• People are increasingly comparing themselves to celebrities and models and becoming more and more dissatisifed about they look leading to a rise in eating disorders,especially in teenage girls.
• Society and the media together have definitely created an unhealthy attitude towards outer beauty rather than inner beauty,making girls less confident about themselves and giving in to these pressures.