Bent on body image: America's obsession with the Great Weight Debate

  Photo by: Gord Evans Photography

The Internet is riddled with ads, articles, and sites devoted to creating, and sculpting, the new and loveable you. Newsstands have become veritable mirrors to perfection—all touted with taglines like “Lose 10 pounds in 10 days” and “Become a better version of you.” You know, upgrade; think version 2.0 (or OSX—depending upon what system you prefer). This, of course, is in response to the ever rising obesity rates in America. However, while the obesity epidemic tends to take center stage in modern day America, there is another rising trend waiting just off in the wings—eating disorders. And, in fact, as contrary as the two seem, they have more in common than one may initially think. In first part of ongoing expose, I am going to explore the role body image, for good or ill, has on today’s culture.

Body image is they way one perceives themselves, physically speaking. This perception may or may not be an accurate assessment; rather, it is interpreted through the eyes of the individual (i.e. who, and what, they see in the mirror). However, more often than not one’s view is skewed by society. In fact, according to a recent Psychology Today study, within “the past three decades, women and, increasingly, men have been [more] preoccupied with how they look” (Psychology Today). Moreover, the study “confirm[ed] that [while] body weight usually increases with age...[t]he youngest women, ages 13 to 19, are both the thinnest and the most satisfied with their appearance, however 54 percent of them are still dissatisfied [and] the number...increases to 57 percent among women ages 20 to 29” (Psychology Today). And we all know her; she’s the skinniest fat girl you’ll ever meet.  She may be your sister, your daughter, your wife, your co-worker, or your friend; but everyone knows someone who fits into this frame (pun intended). So obviously such statistics should, and do, raise several questions about what is contributing to the increasing dissatisfaction amongst young men and women alike.

Of course, one could point to several different factors contributing to this rising epidemic, from nature to nurture and everything in between. However, it is hard to ignore the facts, specifically, the distinct correlation between the increased amount of self-hatred and dissatisfaction and the ever-increasing media presence in America. Moreover, this increased insecurity began just as Generation X came to a close; a time when televisions became more prevelant than ever (as did their demographic targeted marketing campaigns--i.e. commercials). Note: this is not to say that Generation X is immune or in any way less susceptible to, say, the waif-like ideological images the media (movies, TV, and magazine alike) portrays—don’t forget, while the fifties may have had the curvaceous Marilyn Monroe, the hippy-loving sixties led the way for super skinny Twiggy (a model named after her fragile frame). What is curious though is how much more warped body image is today.

Regardless of the cause, the more important question at hand is how due we hold back the flood waters when the damn has already broken? The wave of insecurity continues to rise. Women, and men, continue to take dramatic steps to fit into a concept, to become an image, they cannot clearly see (present company, unfortunately, not excluded). In the second part of this continuous series, I will explore the various types of eating disorders, from anorexia and bulimia to the lesser known, but equally as dangerous, EDNOS and, yes, even obesity and their direct impact on high school & college-aged students as well as their recently graduated counterparts.