Category: Body Image

Body image is a multifaceted concept which includes the following components: the thoughts and feelings an individual has about their own body, the perception they have towards their body and the behaviours carried out which affect their body (NEDC, 2020).

Negative body image

Negative body image involves negative emotions towards one’s overall body image and as a result, is a risk factor for a variety of unhealthy behaviours.

It can also predict

• low self-esteem
• depression
• obesity

More importantly, it has been deemed a key risk factor for the development of an eating disorder and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Factors which can contribute towards negative body image are social norms and expectations as well as unrealistic beauty standards presented in the media and society (Alleva, 2015).

Eating disorders:

• Anorexia nervosa –misconceptions about the individual’s own body shape and weight, desire to be ‘thin’. Implemented by restriction of food and induced vomiting or laxatives (Attia & Walsh, 2007)
• Bulimia nervosa –includes the same misconceptions about one’s body as Anorexia with different behaviour but with episodes of binge-eating and ‘purging’ (Rushing et al., 2003)
• Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) – believe that they are ‘ugly’ or there is something wrong with their appearance when in fact, there is nothing wrong with their appearance and they have a warped perception of their appearance (Phillips, 2004).

How do negative influences of body image affect women of colour (WOC)?

WOC experiencing eating disorders or other severe body image conditions are affected in other ways. WOC experience pressure to maintain a beauty standard suited to the ‘majority’ (white, relatively thin, conventionally- attractive features such as a small nose, etc.). WOC also face racism and colourism, which also impacts their self-perception (Awad, 2014).

Prevention

There must be more awareness and education amongst researchers, clinicians, and educators carrying out studies – efforts must be made to enhance their awareness of factors influencing minority communities. This development of awareness must extend to the wider community.

These factors include

• differing worldviews, values, and beliefs
• assimilation, and immigration patterns
• impacts of oppression and ethnic identity
• individual differences within every ethnic and racial group (National Eating Disorders Association, 2012).

Body image in women of colour

Researching and reporting bias

Exact figures and studies on the pervasiveness of eating disorders among WOC are not easily available. There is a lack of research utilising women from racial minority groups because of the historically biased opinion that eating disorders only affect white women. Despite this, there is an increase in the number of reported eating disorders among women of colour. Part of the increase might merely reflect a rise in reports of these issues instead of an actual increase.

Intervention

A study was conducted with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of racial and ethnic diversity in body image among women. It suggested that practitioners are advised to avoid making assumptions and widen the scope of the issue beyond physical characteristics e.g. facial features and hair, etc when dealing with body image issues for WOC. It is crucial for studies in the future to include and understand which characteristics promote positive body image in women of colour. Applying these measures across a wide range of racial and ethnic groups is a key measure to develop specific intervention programs designed for the prevention of eating and psychological disorders. Further research should be conducted while considering social class, age, racial or ethnic identity, sexual orientation and influences of these ideals (Winter et al, 2019).

Treatment

Regular therapies and treatments prescribed to those suffering from body image issues and conditions derived from these must be tailored to women of colour in these instances. A recent study testing the efficacy of treatments such as exposure-based cognitive-behavioural body image intervention on participants with Bulimia have produced positive results. However, such studies should be conducted with a larger pool size, including women of colour and participants from overlapping intersectional groups of the community (Lewer et al., 2017).

RationaleThis topic was chosen due to the lack of information available currently for body images experiences unique to women of colour and I believe there needs to be light shed onto the issues faced by minority groups such as this instance. It is also a topic which is close to me since I am a member of this group and have experienced what other WOC have experienced to a certain extent. I wanted to research and present information about this topic because, as mentioned in the poster, there is a large bias in the reporting of issues affecting women of colour in general and more research needs to be conducted to cater to the issues of WOC in order to sufficiently cover their issues.

The sources cited in the poster provide detailed information about body image issues and how women of colour are affected in an unbiased, objective manner. The sites included at the conclusion of the poster which are available for further help and information regarding body image images and eating disorders. Unfortunately, there is a lack of services and organisations in addition to early prevention, prevention and intervention and treatment options which specialize in treating eating disorders and body image problems for women of colour.

Reference:

1. Alleva, J. M. (2015). Body matters: interventions and change techniques designed to improve body image. Datawyse / Universitaire Pers Maastricht. Retrieved from https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/ws/files/1429541/guid-73c30008-0245-46fe-821c-f72ce60db8cc-ASSET1.0
2. Attia. E. & Walsh. B.T. (2007). Anorexia Nervosa. The American Journal of Psychiatry. Retrieved from https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07071151
3. Awad, G. H., Norwood, C., Taylor, D. S., Martinez, M., McClain, S., Jones, B., Holman, A., & Chapman-Hilliard, C. (2015). Beauty and Body Image Concerns Among African American College Women. The Journal of black psychology, 41(6), 540–564. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798414550864
4. Lewer, M.., Kosfelder, J. and Michalak, J. (2017). Effects of a cognitive-behavioural exposure-based body image therapy for overweight females with binge eating disorder: a pilot study. J Eat Disord., 5 (43). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-017-0174-y
5. National Eating Disorders Association. (2012). Eating Disorders in Women of Colour: Explanations and Implications. Retrieved from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/sites/default/files/ResourceHandouts/EatingDisordersinWomenofColor.pdf
6. National Eating Disorders Collaboration (2020). Body Image. Retrieved from https://www.nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/body-image/
7. Paxton.S. (2011). Psychological prevention and intervention strategies for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. InPsych, 33. Retrieved from https://www.psychology.org.au/for-members/publications/inpsych/2011/aug/Psychological-prevention-and-intervention-strategi
8. Phillips K. A. (2004). Body dysmorphic disorder: recognizing and treating imagined ugliness. World psychiatry: official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 3(1), 12–17. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1414653/
9. Winter.V.R., Danforth. L.K., Landor. A., Pevehouse-Pfeiffer. D. (2019). Toward an Understanding of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Body Image among Women. Social Work Research, 43(2), 69–80. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svy033
10. Rushing, J. M., Jones, L. E., & Carney, C. P. (2003). Bulimia Nervosa: A Primary Care Review. Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry, 5(5), 217–224. https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v05n0505

We all want to feel comfortable and confident in our own bodies. No one ever wants to feel like they are being judged on the way they look. We see it every day in movies, television, the internet, and more. The media and its social aspects have brainwashed our society. Social media are “forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content” (Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, 2004). The media has influenced the way society views people’s body image, men and others included, but it takes on a bigger role in the lives of women and girls.

Young women and girls face the concept of body image in their everyday lives whether it is out on the streets or on social media platforms. For years young women and girls have been told to look a certain way, dress a certain way, and even act a certain way at times. Young women’s and girl’s mindsets have changed how they view themselves. They believe that one should play the rules and change themselves in order to fit society’s standards. “The global trends to make [a] body beautiful and attractive through cosmetic surgeries have increased in the past decade and more than 10 million women [have] gone through plastic surgeries and procedures” (Davis, 2013). The most common surgeries that women have undergone in the last decade include breast augmentations/enlargements, liposuction/tummy tucks, Botox, and butt lifts. Self-objectification, “when individuals treat themselves as objects to be viewed and evaluated based upon appearance” (Rollero and Piccoli, 2017) and “Body-surveillance, understood as constant monitoring of one’s body, represents one of the crucial behavioral outcomes of the process” (Brajdić Vuković, Marija, et al 2018). This is the point that Fredrickson and Roberts were trying to get across with their objectification theory. Fredrickson and Robert’s theory “argues that girls and women are socialized to internalize an observer’s perspective of their physical self.

Body image in the media can cause a negative impact on society because of its strong roots tied to depression, fat-shaming, and self-dissatisfaction. Thus, as a result of a culture that sexually objectifies the female body, they learn to objectify themselves and self-evaluate based on physical appearance” (Brajdić Vuković, Marija, et al 2018). When it comes to

“Self-objectification and the accompanying body-surveillance [they] were found to be negatively associated with self-esteem and health-promoting behaviours (Moradi and Huang 2008), as well as with overall well-being (Sinclair and Myers 2004). Self-objectification was also linked to depressed mood and disordered eating (Tiggemann and Kuring 2004; Ata et al. 2007). In addition, self-objectification can negatively affect the quality of life of girls and women through ‘opting out’ (withdrawing from life-engaging and lifesustaining activities due to feeling bad about oneself), self-harm and decreased sexual enjoyment” (Brajdić Vuković, Marija, et al 2018).

This just shows that when one feels pressured into fitting a certain mold things can sometimes take a drastic turn. Whether it leads to depression of not being able to meet those standards, starving themselves to keep a certain weight and not go over it, or even just a slight decrease in their sex life due to them not feeling beautiful or sexy enough for the person they are with. Another group of individuals who may have a hard time dealing with body image is women who have been or are pregnant. Due to their stomach now having forever stretch marks and their stomach not conforming back into the shape it once was, or them just getting “fatter and fatter”, it can take a toll on them mentally and cause them to see themselves in a way they never have before or make what they used to see even worse in their eyes. Looking at a magazine cover from decades ago you would see Marilyn Monroe on the cover showcasing curves for what they are, beautiful; but now a majority of the time on a magazine cover what is showcased is what everyone thinks of when they see Victoria Secret models, long-legged and slim. Any woman or young girl that comes across these visuals who doesn’t fit those standards would automatically think she doesn’t belong or that something is wrong with her. Situations like these are what start women and young girls on these so-called helpful diets to get the body that they all want. Sometimes it is not even dieting that gets them there, it is anorexia and bulimia. It is said that “anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents” (Jhaveri and Patki, 2016). Surprisingly though “an estimated 10-15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are males” (Jhaveri and Patki, 2016). It is shocking to see how different the percentages are for males compared to females. Females with anorexia or bulimia sit at a pretty 5% only, whereas males are two times greater at 10 to 15%.

Men and their issues related to body image usually don’t get recognized or they tend to be overlooked in society. In society, men today tend to feel pressured into fitting society’s idea of what the perfect man should look like. From having abs to having bigger muscles, to maintaining or keeping a certain weight. It has been found that “adolescents and men involved in sports felt [more] pressure to conform to bodyweight expectations based on the sport being played, rather than concerns about a specific body type or physical appearance” (Burlew and Shurts, 2013). When one plays a sport or even carries on life casually, the use of steroids could easily make its way into their life. Studies have shown that:

“That the desire for weight gain among young men was more widespread than had been reported. Although 21% of male freshman students described themselves as underweight, some 40% wished to weigh more than their current weight (Drewnowski & Yee, 1987). Given increased media emphasis on muscular build, this percentage may have increased in the intervening years. Apparently, so has the use of anabolic steroids (Yesalis, 1992). Anabolic steroids are not something to mess around with they can be severely life-threatening at times especially if you misuse them. If you take too many of them it could lead to kidney or even liver failure. Steroids are not your best friend no matter how big or bulky they can make you. The use of steroids is most common for that of late middle schoolers and high schoolers but it can also be found in the everyday lifestyle of people that go to the gym or bodybuilders. According to the text there were published reports (Lucas, 1993) stating that: “between 3% and 12% of male high-school students had used anabolic steroids. Steroid use was also said to vary among different sports. High-school and college football players reported the highest use, whereas track and field athletes used them least (Lucas, 1993)”

Not only does body dissatisfaction play a role in the lives of those who play sports but it affects all men, which includes gay men in society as well as those who have been rejected in their lifetime. In the article Men’s Makeover, it states that: “Compared with heterosexual men, gay men are more likely to express dissatisfaction with their appearance and are at greater risk of developing an eating disorder. The focus on appearance is ingrained in gay culture; gay media emphasizes unrealistically muscular and lean models to sell beauty products to an expanding and powerful consumer base.”

Most gay men, compared to heterosexual men, are usually smaller/thinner in weight. This may be due to the majority of them going through with their eating disorder whether it be bulimia or anorexia.

When it comes to the term body image it solely focuses on women and girls in our society. Body image even focuses the slightest bit on the men in our society but it is 2019 so why do we rarely mention the issues on body image that the LGBTQ community face every day. Transgenders are the most talked about out of the people in society today, but not in the best way that is. A transgender is “an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth” (GLAAD Media Referenced Guide, 2017). It is so frowned upon to claim to be a part of the LGBTQ community in this day and age to some people that sometimes the individuals just try to hide who they truly are. Sometimes, because one is so dissatisfied with who they are before they change, they tend to let their minds get the best of them. According to Bozkurt and others research: “Male transsexuals appeared to be less stable and more psychologically disturbed than were their female counterparts, had a lower sex drive and were poorly informed about sexuality, became psycho-logically stabilized once they lived out and enacted a cross-gender role and identity and became more stable after hormone and surgical interventions.” (Bozkurt et al, 2006)

Transgenders are usually the most judged out of the whole LGBTQ community because they look the most different or because they like to cross-dress for their own happiness. Research also states that most transgenders before they transitioned were so angry or upset with their genitalia that it reflected in their attitude in their everyday life, hence why they usually decide to cross-dress. They go through the most change in a lifetime compared to others and they have the scars to prove it. It is a proven fact that compared to most regular men and women transgender individuals have a harder time dealing with their body image. People who are also a part of the LGBTQ community that have gotten backlash from society in the past decade have been the gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Even to this day sometimes there are people in the media that cannot handle a same-sex couple being in love. If it is not from the backlash online or in the media then it is in real-time in the streets by strangers. “In 2008, law enforcement agencies in the United States reported that there were 9,691 victims of hate crimes, 17.6% of whom were targeted because of a bias against a particular sexual orientation” (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2009). Even just watching the news years back the media was filled with different stories of same-sex couples getting beaten just for being on the same train as homophobes. Then, “on October 28, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama signed the hate crimes bill into law, making it a federal crime to assault an individual based on sexual orientation or gender identity” (Katz-Wise and Hyde, 2012). Yet that did not stop some from continuing down that path of cultural victimization on the LGBTQ community. When it comes to sexual orientation-based crimes, aka bias crimes, they: “May be associated with more negative mental health outcomes than non-bias crimes (McDevitt, Balboni, Garcia, & Gu, 2001). Sexual orientation-based hate crimes are an extreme type of victimization that may be more psychologically distressing than other crimes, in part, because victims also experience an attack on their sexual identity” (Katz-Wise and Hyde, 2012). These hate crimes mostly come from people with homophobia and sometimes the people with homophobia are just a little jealous of the couples in love they see in front of them.

When it comes to body image in the media we can improve it to make a better future by choosing to accept the flaws of others. It is going to take some time to get to where we need to be but there are numerous ways to create a more positive outlook on one’s body image. The first step into creating a positive response to body image is to stop comparing yourself to others. Two pivotal steps, although they both contradict each other, that play into fixing a person’s body image is to stop avoiding your body and stop checking your body. To further explain those steps, stop avoiding your body means that you should get to know each individual curve. As for stop checking on your body that means that if you spend a tremendous amount of time looking at yourself in the mirror, quit. Checking on yourself constantly is no better than never looking; they both cause a negative impact on certain individuals. People that suffer from a negative body image need to realize that there is a difference between feeling bad about their bodies and feeling fat due to their bodies’ weight. The key step in providing society with a stronger view on body image is for individuals to practice self-acceptance. Whether the self-acceptance is on themselves or acceptance of another. Society has already made advances in the right direction and with just a little more of a push, in due time society can get there.

All things considered, body image impacts any and everybody in this world, whether you are a man, woman, or part of the LGBTQ community. Everybody goes through many situations or circumstances. We are all different, yet the same when it comes to one thing; we have all been judged at least once in our lives. We have had a hard time dealing with body image for years but we are finally breaking ground and trying to love ourselves a little more. Although society and social media depict the “perfect” body, there is no such thing. All bodies are beautiful no matter the shape, size, gender or race.

Much of the literature on reality TV shows reveals that adolescents are dealing with several consequences in relation to self-esteem and body satisfaction. Bourn, Prichard, Hutchinson, and Wilson (2015), Markey and Markey (2010) and Vandenbosch and Eggermont (2014) discuss how self-esteem and body satisfaction are interrelated to reality TV shows and lay emphasis on how they are both negatively affected. Bourn et al (2015) and Markey and Markey (2010) deliberate the consequence of exposure to portrayals of beauty ideals and discuss that it is unfavorable for women who put in so much for their appearance since they are prone to body dissatisfaction, and may suffer from low self-esteem.

Correspondingly, they explain that social comparisons that occur from exposure to thin-ideal media have been linked to eating disorder symptomology in women and have consistently been shown to lead to dieting, lower body satisfaction, and greater negative affect among women. In addition, Bourn et al (2015) also stated that when participants’ BMI was taken into account, women with a greater BMI experienced less body satisfaction in the experimental condition compared to the control condition and therefore findings suggest that this exposure may negatively impact upon mood, and lead to lower body satisfaction and decreased positive mood for people with a greater BMI. Markey and Markey (2010), as an exception, discussed the effect of the media on men.

They engaged in the findings that men resulted in greater levels of body dissatisfaction, depression, and also had an interest in improving their bodies due to exposure of ideal male bodies. Vandenbosch and Eggermont (2014) explain how sexualizing media exposure was found to have an impact on the developing body image by encouraging adolescents to internalize thin-body ideals and treat their own bodies as objects. Hence, sexualizing TV has been found to trigger people’s viewpoints on their own bodies, which implies that many people value themselves based on their bodies and not their personalities. On the other hand, an argument showed that reality TV shows may actually have positive results on one’s self-esteem and body satisfaction. Ferguson et al (2013) mention that higher exposure to reality TV was linked to higher levels of self-esteem and greater expectations of respect in romantic relationships. Likewise, it was given that reality shows tend to emphasize on the imperfections of their stars, and seeing those imperfections in others on television assists in both being satisfied with one’s own body and in enhancing a girls’ sense of self-esteem.

Focus on Appearance (desire for cosmetic surgery and self-objectification)

Studies have proven that reality TV shows play a major part in increasing girls’ focus on appearance which results in self-objectification and the willingness to go through cosmetic surgeries. Ferguson et al (2013) and Bourn et al (2015) developed the finding that reality programming is linked to an increased focus on one’s appearance. Reality TV programs that focus on weight and appearance (e.g., The Biggest Loser) are becoming increasingly popular and research is beginning to study the effect that reality TV shows have. It was also shown that older girls, who were more likely to watch television, had a greater focus on their appearance based on experiments and results.

In addition to Markey and Markey (2010), they all reveal how young adults are more likely to consider altering their appearance through cosmetic surgery after having seen cosmetic surgery reality programming. Bourn et al (2015) claimed that reality makeover programs and reality loss TV shows exhibited superior ratings of pressure to be thin, and this led to higher dietary restraints. Additionally, Vandenbosch and Eggermont (2014) explained that sexualizing media and TV leads to the same kind of negative results. They stated that exposure to sexualizing TV affects body surveillance, development of valuing appearance over competence, and causes self-objectification. Moreover, Markey and Markey (2010) also shifted the focus away from women, to showing men’s exposure to ideal media images and how it may not just affect their dissatisfaction with their appearance, but their global sense of self and interest in changing their appearance.

Sexual Attitudes and Relationships

Further than the factors talked over that are affected by reality TV shows, relationships and sexual attitudes are also targets affected by such shows. Ferguson et al (2013) and Markey and Markey (2010) debate in their research how reality TV viewing upsurges the quantity of respect received by both men and women in their relationships, and how this relationship could turn into a sensual rather than sexual one. Due to the struggles viewed in reality programming, this may function as a kind of psychological preparation for a girl’s own future relationship, as well as a sense of efficacy in being able to manage such relationships.

In contrast, Markey and Markey (2010) and Vandenbosch et al (2014) show that individuals watching these programs had more sexual attitudes, focusing on other’s appearance as well as highlighting the importance of taking sexual favors from others and this contradicts the previous research by explaining how men do not actually show a sense of respect towards women by acting dominant towards them sexually and expressing a sexual submissiveness to the female body as they treat a woman’s body as an object.

Body Checking should continue to be banned in youth hockey until the U14 level because it raises too many severe risks to all ages, sexes, and levels. Some more traditional thoughts is that it should be lowered to where it was prior to 2011 at the U12 level. Some even think that it should be implemented younger than that at the U10 level. According to Trisha Korioth, In 2012, the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) released a position statement that supports the elimination of body checking from all levels of organized recreational/non-elite competitive male ice hockey and checking only in competitive leagues for boys ages 13-14 years and older, preferably age 15.

Body checking is a common cause of injuries in not only youth hockey, but also in competitive levels too. In 2017 an investigation was put into place to determine the impact of body checking on the distribution of injuries reported by youth hockey players. Injury data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a United States Consumer Product Safety Commission database, were analyzed for Pee Wee and Bantam players between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010 and again between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2015. Data on the location of injury, diagnosis, and mechanism of injury were collected. “The location of injury was categorized into 4 groups: head and neck, upper extremity, lower extremity, and core.

Diagnoses investigated included concussions, fractures, lacerations, strains or sprains, internal organ injuries, and others. The mechanism of injury was broken down into 2 categories: “checking and other.” The investigation concluded that there was a reduction in the total number of mechanism and injuries when body checking was eliminated from pee wee levels.However, researchers found that the number of concussions reported was unexpectedly increasing.

Nathan Seppa author of article “A check on youth hockey injuries” said, “Children playing ice hockey in leagues that permit body checking have more concussions and other injuries than do youngsters in leagues that prohibit checking. An estimated 1.6-3.8 million sports and recreation related concussions occur in the United States each year. During 2001-2005, children and youth ages 5-18 years accounted for 2.4 million sports related emergency department (ED) visits annually, of which 6% (135,000) involved a concussion. Concussions occur at all skill and age levels in ice hockey, and have been reported to account for 2–14% of all hockey injuries​ ​and 15–30% of all hockey head injuries (Izraelski, Jason).Concussions are the most consistent risks for severe injury.

Allowing body checking in hockey has the potential to raise the danger of injury. In 2010 and 2011, two studies provided evidence that 11 and 12 year old players in body checking leagues are at a 3 fold greater risk of injury and a 4 fold greater risk of concussion compared to those in non-body checking leagues (Mckay). Not only can concussions be bad during the time you have one, but it can follow you later into life. Concussions can lead to additional head injuries later in life. The following additional head injuries include, troubles with concentration, memory problems, depression and other psychological problems, irritability, sensitivity to light, and even personality changes. Those who are not as developed and fully developed are at a higher risk for concussions and injuries.

Puberty is the process of physical changes by which a child’s body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction, it is initiated by hormones. Most boys begin puberty between the ages of 9 and 14, for girls it begins between 10 and 14. However puberty is not guaranteed at a specific age. Puberty will begin when the male or female’s body is ready to embark, and with this comes that every individual’s body grows at its own pace. Puberty doesn’t just affect the physical appearance of one’s body, even bigger it affects the brain which affects a child’s behavior. When a child is going through puberty he/she can experience a lot of different emotions, one being mood swings also known as “raging hormones.” A teenagers mood and emotions can fluctuate between anger, excitement, depression, and anxiety. In hockey, body checking is a role that kids are given to be overly aggressive. It is reinforced by a players social environment and is advocating for one’s loyalty to teammates especially injured teammates. It is an act of revenge in a competitive and aggressive way.

By allowing a teeanger who is not fully developed or in the transition of becoming fully developed it always them to be aggressive in such a negative way which could then lead to the possibility of more injuries. Michael Cusimano, author of “Aggression, Violence and Injury in Minor League Ice Hockey” states, “Aggression interventions should be further investigated as a means to reduce head impact severity. All levels, ages, and sexes needs to have a full knowledge and understanding of safe play and should consider aggression interventions to lower the amount of injury severity and injuries in all.”

Contemporary consumer culture has experienced a shift from bodies-producing commodities to commodities-producing bodies. Men feel the pressure to get bigger and stronger. Women feel the need to get smaller and thinner. Individuals consistently disregard their physical and mental health to achieve their ideal body image. As these idealizations have become more of a priority in our lives, the fitness industry has continued to grow. The industry uses these aspirations to spark consumerism. According to a 2018 IHRSA report, total fitness industry revenue was an estimated $94 billion in 2018, which increased from $87.2 billion in 2017. The growth rate globally was 8.7%. In response to this report, Wellness Creative Co estimated, ‘if it continues on this trajectory, then it should reach $99.9 billion in 2019 and $106 billion in 2020’ (Wellness Creative Co, 2019, P.4). While the fitness industry is experiencing growth, obesity rates are as well. According to the lecture, the prevalence of obesity among US adults aged 20 to 74 is growing rapidly. This growth in obesity follows the same upward spiral as the growth in the fitness industry (Andrews, 2019).

The fitness industry prides itself on bringing health and happiness. If so, one may wonder why the popularization of the fitness industry has coincided with the growth in obesity rates. The answer is simple. The contemporary fitness industry isn’t designed to promote health. Instead, it is commercially and culturally engineered to stimulate consumption, and hence profit.

The fitness industry makes its money off products and services that are said to get consumers fit and healthy. Every time an individual becomes satisfied with their body image, the fitness and weight loss industries lose a customer. To combat this, companies use marketing and advertisements to create aspirations and desires that keep the industry going.

A commercial used by the ‘Anti-Chubby Gym’ is one example of a fitness company sacrificing a consumer’s health and well-being in an attempt to increase profit. The advertisement utters phrases like ‘You’re never going to have a hubby if you’re chubby’ and ‘pathetic, no chubbies’ (The Anti-Chubby Gym, 2017, 0:24). They use these phrases to make viewers feel upset with their body image. The emotions generated by this commercial show that it is a definite money grab. Its primary purpose is to make people feel so bad about themselves that they go out and purchase a gym membership.

The Anti-Chubby Gym isn’t the world’s most renowned fitness company. One may assume that this tactic is only used by the part of the industry that can afford to be less concerned with their public image. But, one may be surprised at the following example of a 2007 advertisement from corporate superpower Nike. The commercial is centered around Nike’s new exercise-tracking technology and comes from the perspective of a man who is not a fan of running. He makes this apparent through statements like ‘I am not a runner’ and ‘I don’t enjoy breathing heavier than a pregnant walrus’ (Nike, 2007, 0:01 & 0:07). In the commercial’s final line, the same man states, ‘running sucks, but you know what sucks more? Man boobs’ (Nike, 2007, 0:16). This commercial is focused on people who don’t have the ideal physique. Nike is trying to get consumers to go out and buy their new technology, and they do this by undermining people who are out of shape. By stating that man boobs suck, they are scaring overweight consumers into fitting the ideal body type.

The rise of social media has brought this issue to a whole other level. Elise Rose Carrotte, Ivanka Prichard, and Megan Su Cheng Lim conducted a study titled ‘Fitspiration on Social Media: A Content Analysis of Gendered Images.’ It studied the impact of ‘Fitspiration’ on social media. They described ‘Fitspiration’ as something that ‘aims to inspire individuals to exercise and be healthy’ (Carrotte, Prichard, & Su Cheng Lim, 2017, P.1). Social media is a way for people to connect with individuals across the globe with the click of a button. It is easy to see why a person with an ideal physique would use social media to show off their body, gain followers, and get subsidized by fitness companies. The authors of the study wanted to identify how fitspiration content posted across social media affects the people who view it.

After conducting their research, the authors noticed that while ‘Fitspiration’ had a different impact on men and women, it negatively affected both genders. According to their study,

‘Experimental research has demonstrated negative effects from acute exposure to fitspiration among women, including increased negative mood and body dissatisfaction. Acute exposure to fitspiration-style athletic ideal images (which depict a thin yet toned or muscular female body and exposure to ‘thinspiration ‘-style thin-ideal images predict body dissatisfaction and compulsive exercising among women at similar rates.’ (Charlotte, Prichard, & Su Cheng Lim, 2017, P.7)

The results only slightly differed with men, as the study stated,

‘Contemporary men also commonly experience body dissatisfaction, particularly muscle dissatisfaction. Exposure to traditional media (e.g., print or magazine) and ideal muscular images are associated with increased drive for muscularity and depression and lowered muscle satisfaction among men. Furthermore, exposure to images of male models actively engaging in sport has been shown to decrease men’s satisfaction with their fitness levels and overall appearance.’ (Charlotte, Prichard, & Su Cheng Lim, 2017, P.8)

The adverse effects of “Fitspiration” are clear. The fit bodies we see on social media don’t encourage people to be fit and healthy. They drive people to conform their bodies to the ideal figure. For a lot of people, this can negatively impact their mental and physical health. I, unfortunately, was a victim of the fitness industry’s lies.

As someone who has struggled with body image, this issue hits home. Growing up, I was proud of the way I looked. My football training regimen allowed me to put on a substantial amount of muscle. When football ended, I started to notice all the pringles I was eating were beginning to take a toll on my body. So when I saw what my bad diet was doing to my physique, I decided that I must regain my football figure.

I started eating right and lifting hard. I used the internet to search for diet and workout plans to implement into my regimen. When surfing YouTube, I found myself returning to a few fitness vloggers who each had hundreds of thousands of followers. Christian Guzman is the most popular, coming in at over 950,000 subscribers. I also watched guys like Rob Lipsett and Brandon Harding, who each have over 400,000 subscribers. As I listened to their fitness tips and pitches, I found myself becoming envious of their physiques. They represented something sturdy, durable, and superior. I was a victim of these influencer’s body capital. In his study titled, ‘Your body is your business card’: Bodily capital and health authority in the fitness industry,” DJ Huston (2013, P.1) describes body capital as “the value generated from appearance, attractiveness, and physical ability.” Their body capital drove me to eat everything they ate, do every exercise they did, and wear everything they wore. When I watched Brandon Harding state, ‘The protein I [Harding] use is Whey HD by BPI Sports’ (Harding 8:04), I went out and bought Whey HD by BPI Sports. Christian Guzman told me he ‘knew I was going to love his Alphalete Performance Shirts’ (Guzman 23:03), so I went online and bought three different colors.

When June finally came, and it was time for prom, I was in the best shape of my life. I weighed a slender 155 pounds and was able to retain all my muscles and get rid of all the fat. I had finally reached my goal of getting ripped. At that point, I thought I would be proud of my body. But, I had gone to such great lengths to reach it, that it started to take a toll on my mental and physical health.

I developed an eating disorder. I had extreme dietary restrictions. It was egg whites and oatmeal every breakfast, grilled chicken and brown rice for lunch, and salmon, sweet potato, and veggies for dinner. I weighed out all my food, counted all my calories and macronutrients, and logged my weight at the beginning and end of each day. These restrictions caused me to develop a habit of binge eating. Binge-eating is not over-eating. The Mayo Clinic describes it as a serious eating disorder in which you frequently consume unusually large amounts of food and feel unable to stop eating (Mayo Clinic, 2018, P.1). They also mention that ‘almost everyone overeats on occasion, such as having seconds or thirds of a holiday meal. But for some people, excessive overeating that feels out of control and becomes a regular occurrence crosses the line to binge-eating disorder’ (Mayo Clinic, 2018, P.1).

I once weighed ten pounds more one night than I had in the morning. All I thought about was food, and I’d sit in bed all day waiting for my next meal. This isolation made me fall into a deep depression. I lost interest in anything but my body image.

I always knew these problems stemmed from my extreme routine, but it became an obsession. I cared too much about my physique. At a certain point, I valued it over my mental and physical health. Eventually, I realized that the people I was following had also experienced physical and mental issues associated with acquiring their bodies. Rob Lipsett mentioned in a video that ‘I [Lipsett] was placing such focus on my diet, that I could not control myself. I had a full-blown binge-eating disorder’ (Lipsett, 2018, 5:01). Brandon Harding once admitted that his use of steroids ‘makes me [Harding] feel like I’m going to have a heart attack every single day. I’m holding my steering wheel, and I’m shaking. My body just won’t stop shaking’ (Harding, 2019, 11:06).

The depression took its toll for about a year before I decided to address the actual problem. I realized these YouTubers weren’t out for my health and happiness; they were more interested in my emotions, wallet, and clicks. I stopped putting so many restrictions on my diet and released the pressure I put on myself to look a certain way. I began to notice as my stress decreased, so did my depression and binge eating.

It has been a slow and meticulous process, but I can finally say I have overcome my depression and eating disorder. There are still good days and bad days, but I feel that I have reached the happiness I had before starting to chase those broad shoulders and chiseled abs. Moreover, I am the healthiest, and most fit I have ever been. I found the perfect balance between looking good and feeling good.

Reflecting upon all my experiences and struggles, it is clear to me that today’s fitness industry doesn’t care about our health. Instead, it is driven to create capital. Advertisements from companies like the Anti-Chubby Gym and Nike, along with the study on “Fitspiration,” show that the fitness industry promotes dissonance between the reality of one’s body image and the one purported to be ideal. The negative emotions possessed by consumers spark desires that the fitness industry has used to grow exponentially. Fitness companies are driven by a man’s desire to get bigger and stronger, and a woman’s need to get smaller and thinner. All in all, the contemporary fitness industry is commercially and culturally engineered to increase our aspirations to attain the ideal physique, which increases their profit. While the fitness industry prides itself on bringing health and happiness, its money-hungry attitude shows a complete disregard for both.

Works Cited

1. Andrews, D.L.. (2019, Fall). Module 1, Topic D: Lecture- Consumer [Physical] Culture. KNES 287, University of Maryland: College Park, MD.
2. Anti-Chubby Gym (2017, September 25). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aOQS9Ual1o
3. Carrotte, E. R., Prichard, I., & Lim, M. S. C. (2017, March 29). ‘Fitspiration’ on Social Media: A Content Analysis of Gendered Images. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5390113/.
4. Fitness Industry Statistics [Growth, Trends & Research Stats 2019]. (2019, September 3). Retrieved from https://www.wellnesscreatives.com/fitness-industry-statistics-growth/#trends.
5. Guzman, C. FULL ALPHALETE SIZING GUIDE | SEPTEMBER 2019 | BRAND NEW AERO LEGGINGS | COMPLETE MEN’S COLLECTION. (2019, September 19). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOzTFZNZhvg&t=1385s
6. Harding, B. MY FULL ANABOLIC CYCLE to Get SHREDDED | CHEATING On My Diet | Heart & Mental Health. (2019, May 9). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vst0tVGuvE
7. Harding, B. Building Lean Muscle FULL DAY OF EATING with Brandon Harding. (2018, April 3). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFt4GVEtV8M
8. Hutson, D. J. (2013, August). ‘Your body is your business card’: Bodily capital and health authority in the fitness industry. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23746610.
9. IHRSA. (2018). The 2018 IHRSA Global Report. https://www.ihrsa.org/publications/the-2018-ihrsa-global-report/
10. Lipsett, R. My Bodybuilding Eating Disorder Story. (2018, May 31). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZqazWUVQdQ&t=416s
11. Mayo Clinic. Binge-eating disorder. (2018, May 5). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/binge-eating-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353627.
12. Nike. I Am Not A Runner. (2007, September 5). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFnUX4mURBI

 

We all want to feel comfortable and confident in our bodies. No one ever wants to feel like they are being judged on the way they look. We see it every day in movies, television, the internet, and more. The media and its social aspects have brainwashed our society. Social media are “forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content” (Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, 2004). The media has influenced the way society views people’s body image, men and others included, but it takes on a bigger role in the lives of women and girls.

Young women and girls face the concept of body image in their everyday lives whether it is out on the streets or social media platforms. For years young women and girls have been told to look a certain way, dress a certain way, and even act a certain way at times. Young women’s and girl’s mindsets have changed how they view themselves. They believe that one should play the rules and change themselves to fit society’s standards. “The global trends to make [a] body beautiful and attractive through cosmetic surgeries have increased in the past decade and more than 10 million women [have] gone through plastic surgeries and procedures” (Davis, 2013). The most common surgeries that women have undergone in the last decade include breast augmentations/enlargements, liposuction/tummy tucks, Botox, and butt lifts. Self-objectification, “when individuals treat themselves as objects to be viewed and evaluated based upon appearance” (Rollero and Piccoli, 2017), and “Body-surveillance, understood as constant monitoring of one’s body, represents one of the crucial behavioral outcomes of the process” (Brajdić Vuković, Marija, et al 2018). This is the point that Fredrickson and Roberts were trying to get across with their objectification theory. Fredrickson and Robert’s theory “argues that girls and women are socialized to internalize an observer’s perspective of their physical self.

Body image in the media can hurt society because of its strong roots tied to depression, fat-shaming, and self-dissatisfaction. Thus, as a result of a culture that sexually objectifies the female body, they learn to objectify themselves and self-evaluate based on physical appearance” (Brajdić Vuković, Marija, et al 2018). When it comes to

“Self-objectification and the accompanying body-surveillance [they] were found to be negatively associated with self-esteem and health-promoting behaviors (Moradi and Huang 2008), as well as with overall well-being (Sinclair and Myers 2004). Self-objectification was also linked to depressed mood and disordered eating (Tiggemann and Kuring 2004; Ata et al. 2007). In addition, self-objectification can negatively affect the quality of life of girls and women through ‘opting out’ (withdrawing from life-engaging and life-sustaining activities due to feeling bad about oneself), self-harm and decreased sexual enjoyment” (Brajdić Vuković, Marija, et al 2018).

This just shows that when one feels pressured into fitting a certain mold things can sometimes take a drastic turn. Whether it leads to depression of not being able to meet those standards, starving themselves to keep a certain weight and not go over it, or even just a slight decrease in their sex life due to them not feeling beautiful or sexy enough for the person they are with. Another group of individuals who may have a hard time dealing with body image is women who have been or are pregnant. Due to their stomach now having forever stretch marks and their stomach not conforming back into the shape it once was, or them just getting “fatter and fatter”, it can take a toll on them mentally and cause them to see themselves in a way they never have before or make what they used to see even worse in their eyes. Looking at a magazine cover from decades ago you would see Marilyn Monroe on the cover showcasing curves for what they are, beautiful; but now a majority of the time on a magazine cover what is showcased is what everyone thinks of when they see Victoria Secret models, long-legged and slim. Any woman or young girl who comes across these visuals who doesn’t fit those standards would automatically think she doesn’t belong or that something is wrong with her. Situations like these are what start women and young girls on these so-called helpful diets to get the body that they all want. Sometimes it is not even dieting that gets them there, it is anorexia and bulimia. It is said that “anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents” (Jhaveri and Patki, 2016). Surprisingly though “an estimated 10-15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are males” (Jhaveri and Patki, 2016). It is shocking to see how different the percentages are for males compared to females. Females with anorexia or bulimia sit at a pretty 5% only, whereas males are two times greater at 10 to 15%.

Men and their issues related to body image usually don’t get recognized or they tend to be overlooked in society. In society, men today tend to feel pressured into fitting society’s idea of what the perfect man should look like. From having abs to having bigger muscles, to maintaining or keeping a certain weight. It has been found that “adolescents and men involved in sports felt [more] pressure to conform to bodyweight expectations based on the sport being played, rather than concerns about a specific body type or physical appearance” (Burlew and Shurts, 2013). When one plays a sport or even carries on life casually, the use of steroids could easily make its way into their life. Studies have shown that:

“That the desire for weight gain among young men was more widespread than had been reported. Although 21% of male freshman students described themselves as underweight, some 40% wished to weigh more than their current weight (Drewnowski & Yee, 1987). Given the increased media emphasis on muscular build, this percentage may have increased in the intervening years. So has the use of anabolic steroids (Yesalis, 1992). Anabolic steroids are not something to mess around with they can be severely life-threatening at times especially if you misuse them. If you take too many of them it could lead to kidney or even liver failure. Steroids are not your best friend no matter how big or bulky they can make you. The use of steroids is most common among late middle schoolers and high schoolers but it can also be found in the everyday lifestyle of people who go to the gym or bodybuilders. According to the text, there were published reports (Lucas, 1993) stating that:

“Between 3% and 12% of male high-school students had used anabolic steroids. Steroid use was also said to vary among different sports. High-school and college football players reported the highest use, whereas track and field athletes used them least (Lucas, 1993)”

Not only does body dissatisfaction play a role in the lives of those who play sports but it affects all men, which includes gay men in society as well as those who have been rejected in their lifetime. In the article Men’s Makeover, it states that:

“Compared with heterosexual men, gay men are more likely to express dissatisfaction with their appearance and are at greater risk of developing an eating disorder. The focus on appearance is ingrained in gay culture; gay media emphasizes unrealistically muscular and lean models to sell beauty products to an expanding and powerful consumer base.”

Most gay men, compared to heterosexual men, are usually smaller/thinner in weight. This may be due to the majority of them going through with their eating disorder whether it be bulimia or anorexia.

When it comes to the term body image it solely focuses on women and girls in our society. Body image even focuses the slightest bit on the men in our society but it is 2019 so why do we rarely mention the issues on body image that the LGBTQ community faces every day? Transgenders are the most talked about of the people in society today, but not in the best way that is. Transgender is “an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth” (GLAAD Media Referenced Guide, 2017). It is so frowned upon to claim to be a part of the LGBTQ community in this day and age to some people that sometimes the individuals just try to hide who they truly are. Sometimes, because one are so dissatisfied with who they are before they change, they tend to let their minds get the best of them. According to Bozkurt and others research:

“Male transsexuals appeared to be less stable and more psychologically disturbed than were their female counterparts, had a lower sex drive and were poorly informed about sexuality, became psycho-logically stabilized once they lived out and enacted a cross-gender role and identity and became more stable after hormone and surgical interventions.” (Bozkurt et al, 2006)

Transgenders are usually the most judged out of the whole LGBTQ community because they look the most different or because they like to cross-dress for their happiness. Research also states that most transgenders before they transitioned were so angry or upset with their genitalia that it reflected in their attitude in their everyday life, hence why they usually decide to cross-dress. They go through the most change in a lifetime compared to others and they have the scars to prove it. It is a proven fact that compared to most regular men and women transgender individuals have a harder time dealing with their body image. People who are also a part of the LGBTQ community that have gotten backlash from society in the past decade have been gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Even to this day sometimes there are people in the media that cannot handle a same-sex couple being in love. If it is not from the backlash online or in the media then it is in real-time in the streets by strangers. “In 2008, law enforcement agencies in the United States reported that there were 9,691 victims of hate crimes, 17.6% of whom were targeted because of a bias against a particular sexual orientation” (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2009). Even just watching the news years back the media was filled with different stories of same-sex couples getting beaten just for being on the same train as homophobes. Then, “on October 28, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama signed the hate crimes bill into law, making it a federal crime to assault an individual based on sexual orientation or gender identity” (Katz-Wise and Hyde, 2012). Yet that did not stop some from continuing down that path of cultural victimization of the LGBTQ community. When it comes to sexual orientation-based crimes, aka bias crimes, they:

“May be associated with more negative mental health outcomes than non-biased crimes (McDevitt, Balboni, Garcia, & Gu, 2001). Sexual orientation-based hate crimes are an extreme type of victimization that may be more psychologically distressing than other crimes, in part, because victims also experience an attack on their sexual identity” (Katz-Wise and Hyde, 2012). These hate crimes mostly come from people with homophobia and sometimes the people with homophobia are just a little jealous of the couples in love they see in front of them. We see situations like these broadcasted in the media all the time on television and in movies. Namely, Glee; in the show Glee one of the main characters named Kurt gets bullied by a jock because he is homosexual but it later turns out that this bully is also homosexual but was too scared to admit it to himself and others. This kind of behavior that is showcased in the media can be common in certain people’s lives from chauvinistic family members or friends, and it needs to be stopped.

When it comes to body image in the media we can improve it to make a better future by choosing to accept the flaws of others. It is going to take some time to get to where we need to be but there are numerous ways to create a more positive outlook on one’s body image. The first step in creating a positive response to body image is to stop comparing yourself to others. Two pivotal steps, although they both contradict each other, that play into fixing a person’s body image are to stop avoiding your body and stop checking your body. To further explain those steps, stop avoiding your body means that you should get to know each curve. As for stopping checking on your body, that means that if you spend a tremendous amount of time looking at yourself in the mirror, quit. Checking on yourself constantly is no better than never looking; they both hurt certain individuals. People who suffer from a negative body image need to realize that there is a difference between feeling bad about their bodies and feeling fat due to their bodies’ weight. The key step in providing society with a stronger view of body image is for individuals to practice self-acceptance. Whether the self-acceptance is on themselves or acceptance of another. Society has already made advances in the right direction and with just a little more of a push, in due time society can get there. For example, to make body image a more positive idea rather than a negative one social media has made a huge turnaround by introducing the world to the #BodyPosi movement within the last couple of years. The #BodyPosi movement is supposed to be seen as an amazing way to perceive others and the way they view themselves or are trying to view themselves. In other words, #BodyPosi is an acronym for body positivity and it is defined by hercampus.com as a “movement [aiming] to stop this culture of Instagram perfection and show what’s real. Real bodies aren’t perfect, they have cellulite and stretch marks and moles and rolls, and these people aim to show that.” If you choose to continue to use social media and hateful or mean comments are being made on your page or a page around you, delete or block that individual. A vast majority of social media is known to release hateful comments out into the world but not all social media has to be seen in a bad light. There are aspects of social media that can be good. For example, find a safe space where you can talk to other people who have gone through the same things you have. These safe spaces don’t even have to be online forums, they can be in person as well. Whether it be meeting up with a group of friends who adore you or even just with people like yourself. Positivity can be where you least expect it or come from people who you least expect. To keep positivity in your life, you have to cut all the negative energy out first. Surround yourself with people who have the same mindset or goal as you. When you all share a common goal you can work together and build each other’s self-esteem up day by day. As cliché as it sounds, you need to love yourself; once you do that it shouldn’t matter what others think about you.

All things considered, body image impacts any and everybody in this world, whether you are a man, woman, or part of the LGBTQ community. Everybody goes through many situations or circumstances. We are all different, yet the same when it comes to one thing; we have all been judged at least once in our lives. We have had a hard time dealing with body image for years but we are finally breaking ground and trying to love ourselves a little more. Although society and social media depict the “perfect” body, there is no such thing. All bodies are beautiful no matter the shape, size, gender, or race.

Works Cited

1. Bozkurt, Ali, et al. “Body Image and Personality Traits of Male-To-Female Transsexuals and Homosexuals.” Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, vol. 34, no. 8, Oct. 2006, pp. 927–937. EBSCOhost, doi:10.2224/sbp.2006.34.8.927.
2. Brajdić Vuković, Marija, et al. “Internet Use Associated Body-Surveillance Among Female Adolescents: Assessing the Role of Peer Networks.” Sexuality & Culture, vol. 22, no. 2, June 2018, pp. 521–540. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s12119-017-9480-4.
3. Burlew, Larry D., and W. Matthew Shurts. “Men and Body Image: Current Issues and Counseling Implications.” Journal of Counseling & Development, vol. 91, no. 4, Oct. 2013, pp. 428–435. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1002/j.1556-6676.2013.00114.x.
4. Chi, Kelly Rae. “Masculinity: Men’s Makeover.” Nature, vol. 526, no. s7572, Oct. 2015, pp. S12–S13. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1038/526S12a.
5. Converse, Mary Shea, and Mary Shea Converse. “What Is ‘Body Posi’ and Why You Should Care.” Her Campus, https://www.hercampus.com/school/south-carolina/what-body-posi-and-why-you-should-care#:~:targetText=There’s a movement looking to, people aim to show that.
6. Drewnowski, Adam, et al. “Effects of Body Image on Dieting, Exercise, and Anabolic Steroid Use in Adolescent Males.” International Journal of Eating Disorders, vol. 17, no. 4, May 1995, pp. 381–386. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1002/1098-108X(199505)17:43.0.CO;2-V.
7. “GLAAD Media Reference Guide – Transgender.” GLAAD, 19 Apr. 2017, https://www.glaad.org/reference/transgender.
8. Hanan, Mian Ahmad, et al. “Body Image Discrepancy and Surgical Concerns: Thin Ideal Internalization as a Mediator.” Journal of Behavioural Sciences, vol. 27, no. 2, Dec. 2017, pp. 48–58. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=127836277&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
9. Jhaveri, Sneh. S., and Sairaj M. Patki. “Locus of Control, Peer Influence on Dieting, Media Exposure and Body Image Satisfaction in Young Adults.” Indian Journal of Health & Wellbeing, vol. 7, no. 4, Apr. 2016, pp. 369–372. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=115726382&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
10. Katz-Wise, SabraL., and Janet S. Hyde. “Victimization Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals: A Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Sex Research, vol. 49, no. 2/3, Mar. 2012, pp. 142–167. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/00224499.2011.637247.
11. Rollero, Chiara, and Norma De Piccoli. “Self-Objectification and Personal Values. An Exploratory Study.” Frontiers in Psychology, Frontiers Media S.A., 23 June 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5482001/.
12. “Social Media.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social media.

 

Body-image is a multidimensional, subjective and dynamic concept that encompasses a person’s perceptions, thoughts and feelings about his/her body. It can be positive or negative. There are four dimensions by which the concept of body-image can be understood:

1. Perceptual- The way an individual see himself. It is also called Body Satisfaction/ Dissatisfaction and represents a global evaluation of one’s body. According to Grabe, Warde & Hyde (2008), it is the overall level of approval or lack thereof that an individual has with their body.
2. Affective- The way an individual feel about the way he looks. It is also known as Body Self- Consciousness/ Objectification and reflects the presence of dysfunctional cognitive schema. It focuses on self- attentional focus and pre-occupation with the body and self-objectification. Self-objectification refers to an individual adopting a view of the self as an object whose value is based on appearance.
3. Cognitive- All thoughts and beliefs an individual has for his body. It is also known as ‘internalization of the thin ideal and drive for thinness’; it consists of an individual’s adoption of socio-cultural appearance ideals as a personal goal and standard.
4. Behavioral- The actions and behaviors an individual takes in relation to the way he looks and consists of behaviors related to eating and beliefs related to eating like feeling guilty after eating.

Apart from these dimensions, several factors have been introduced by Folger and Reeb (2010) that may impact body-image satisfaction such as Self-efficacy, Anxiety related to body image and Affect related to body image.

Media and Body-Image Perception

Many adverts in the current media display an image of the ‘perfect’ woman with an idealistic body and flawless facial features. This ideal woman creates an unrealistic image for women and puts pressure on them to live up to that certain standard. Such culture disempowers women and puts pressure on them to live up to that certain standard. Hargreaves (2004) investigated the impact of T.V. adverts showing thin bodies on women and concluded that such exposure caused a major body dissatisfaction on all the viewers.

Men also face similar burdens in regard to attractiveness, whereby the media’s depiction of the ideal muscular physique has caused numerous body dissatisfaction issues among young men. While women face expectations to be increasingly thin, endorsements featuring the muscular ideal, therefore, cause numerous problems for men. The importance men place on muscle and weight may be tracked from the bulked-up action heroes along with brawny characters from video games which present an anatomically impossible ideal for boys just like Barbie promotes body proportions that have become significant for girls.

Media promotion of body ideals is not new as the thin ideal body has been supported for decades. According to Silverstein (1986), there has been a continuous fall in the weight of female figures portrayed by the media to be the ideal-body size. Contrary to it, the weight of females in general population increased, thus creating a major gap between ideal and average woman’s actual body size.

According to Martins (2009), thin doll like figures and muscular action heroes’ bodies are considered ideal body type for men and women respectively and as a result this trend is further extended to representation of characters in video games.

Current media is increasingly emphasizing on trends like ‘#fitspiration’ which promotes thin instead of a fit physique. Their images are often misleading as they present negative messages like restraining diet, objectification and encourage its viewers to be thin.

Thus, exposure to media has shown some serious negative outcomes like decreased self-esteem, increased self-consciousness, physique anxiety, dissatisfaction with one’s body, disturbances in eating patterns, irritability, depressive mood symptoms and urge to lose weight.

Proposed Method

Aim

Past literature have shown that even a brief exposure to thin-ideal media has negative implications for the body image in an individual. This provides a base for the present study.

The existing literature lack a complete and comprehensive assessment of the body-image construct and the ability to control for the pre-test sensitization effect. Pre-test sensitization occurs when the administration of a pre-test measure in some way influences participants and causes them to be affected differently by an experienced intervention. The present study will address both these limitations and aims to provide more conclusive findings regarding the effects of thin-ideal media on body image using multiple measures.

The results of the present study would contribute in better understanding of the ways that thin-ideal media influences the different dimensions of the body image. Also, it will help with the development of interventions to prevent body-image problems and associated problems such as eating disorders and self-esteem.

Hypothesis

The purpose of the present study is to examine the following hypothesis:

1. To examine the impact of thin-ideal media on body image.
   1. H1: Participants’ body image will become more negative after viewing thin-ideal media, whereas no change will be observed for neutral media.
2. Another objective of the study is to look at how the effect of thin-ideal media carries across the different dimensions of body-image media construct.
   1. H2: Thin-ideal media would have a negative effect on body image across all dimensions.
3. Another objective of the study is to apply the Solomon Four Group Design and post-experimental inquiry in order to determine whether the changes in the scores on body image measures following exposure to thin-ideal media were due to pre-test sensitization.
   1. H3: After controlling for participant reactivity, there will be evidence of media effect on body image.
   2. H4: Even after controlling for pre-test sensitization, the effect of thin-ideal media will be observed on all dimensions of body-image assessments.

Design

The extent to which reactivity of body-image assessment accounts for changes ins cores of body-image measures has been mentioned less in our existing literature. It is unclear the extent to which pre-test sensitization may play a role in pre-to-post changes in body image for participants.

According to Folger and Reeb (2010), only a few studies in the literature have examined pre-test sensitization which found that an increased percentage of participants were aware of the study’s purpose, yet the media caused a negative effect on their body image.

Therefore, it is crucial for future researches to examine the effects of pre-test sensitization in a more systematic way which can be done by using a Solomon Four Group design in conjunction with a post-experiential inquiry.

Using the Solomon four-group design within research to control for pre-test sensitization, participants would be randomly assigned to 4 conditions:

• Condition 1: Pre-test Assessment, Exposure to experimental manipulation and Post-Test Assessment
• Condition 2: Pre-Test Assessment, Neutral exposure (control), Post-Test Assessment
• Condition 3: No Pre-test Assessment, Exposure to experimental manipulation and Post-Test Assessment
• Condition 4: No Pre-test Assessment, Neutral and Post-Test Assessment.

This design will allow to exert more control over the variables and check that the pre-test did not influence the results.

Participants

The study will invite participants from all ethnic groups and gender ranging in the age group of 20-35 years.

Materials

1. Demographic questionnaire

This questionnaire will contain general information items like age, ethnicity, height, weight and the desired weight along with socio-economic status, level of education and yearly income. Also, it will contain queries if participants are involved in any therapy with a Mental Health Practitioner at the time of study.

2. Body Esteem Scale (BES)

This scale will measure the first dimension of the body image i.e. Body Satisfaction/ Dissatisfaction. The BES is a Likert-type scale where participants will score each item on arrange of 0-10 and will examine how an individual feel towards their body parts and shape.

3.Self -Objectification Questionnaire

This scale was developed by Noll and Friedrickson (1998) for measuring the second dimension of body-image i.e. the body self-consciousness/ objectification. Participants will have to rank a list of 10 body attributes on a Likert scale. It is crucial to measure this dimension as it taps into how concerned participants are with their own appearance.

4. Socio-cultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ)

This scale was developed by Heinberg, Thompson and Stormer (1995) which looks at the third dimension of body image i.e. internalization of the thin ideal and drive fir thinness which according to Grabe (2008) describes an individual’s adoption of sociocultural appearance ideals as their personal goal and standard.

This questionnaire will be administered to participants before and/or after viewing the media based on the experimental group that he will be assigned. Participants will have to rate items on a likert-scale ranging from 0-5. It is important to assess the dimension of body image in order to look at the degree of acceptance for society’s standards of appearance.

5. Brief Eating Beliefs and Behavioral Intentions Scale

It is a 5-item scale that will ask the participants to rate the degree to which they endorse statements about their eating beliefs. Participants will then be asked to rate items on a likert-scale ranging from 1-5.

6. Appearance Self-Efficacy Scale (ApSES)

This scale was developed by Bardone-cone and Cass (2006) which measures an individual’s feelings of self-efficacy in terms of appearance. It will be administered to participants before and/or after viewing the media based on the experimental group they will belong.

7. Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale (PASTAS)

This scale was developed by Reed, Thompson, Brannick and Sacco (1991). It will examine body-image anxiety and consists of questions that the participants will rate regarding their anxiety levels about certain parts of their body. For the current study, a shorter version of PASTAS will be used which will contain 16-items.

8. Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)

This scale was developed by Watson, Clark and Tellegan (1998) and it looks at the positive and negative affect using a likert-type rating ranging from 1-5. For the current study, the Negative Affect Scale of PANAS was used to measure pre-to-post media changes in negative valanced mood. Participants will rate their affect as distressed or upset.

Procedure

Participants who will sign-up for this study will be given a consent form before being involved in the study. After the consent form, each participant will complete body-image measures and will view the media individually. Depending on which group participants will be assigned to at the outset of the study, they will complete a pack of self-report questionnaires before and/or after media exposure which will include the demographic form, the Body Esteem Scale, the Self-Objectification Questionnaire, the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire, the Brief Eating Beliefs and Behavioral Intentions Scale, the Appearance Self-Efficacy Scale, the Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale and Positive And Negative Affect Schedule.

In accordance with the Solomon Four-Group design, participants will be randomly assigned to one of the four groups:

• In the first condition, participants will complete the pre-test body image self-report assessments, then undergo exposure to thin-ideal media and then complete the same self-report post-test body image assessments.
• In the second condition, participants will complete the pre-test body image assessments, then undergo exposure to neutral (control) media and afterward complete the same post-test self-report body image assessments.
• In the third condition, participants will have no pre-test body image assessments. Rather they will be directly exposed to thin ideal media and later will be asked to complete post-test body image self-report assessments.
• In the fourth condition, participants will not have any pre-test body assessment and they will experience a control media viewing and afterward, they will be asked to complete post-test self-report body image assessments.

For the present study, 10 pictures of models from famous fashion websites and magazines will be used. For neutral media, 10 images from magazine advertisements will be used which will not represent any models. Both the medias will be shown for 10 seconds per image to the participants based on their allocations.

Subsequently, after media exposure and post-test body-image measures will be completed, a brief post-experimental inquiry will be employed which will assess if the participants will be able to detect the purpose of the study during their involvement.

In the end, the participants will be debriefed both in written as well as verbally.

References

1. Bardone-Cone, A.M., & Cass, K.M. (2006). Investigating the impact of pro-anorexia websites: A pilot study. European Eating Disorders Review,256-262.
2. Folger, S.F. & Reeb, R. N. (2010). Variables moderating effects of thin-ideal media on body image. Paper presented at the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago.
3. Grabe, S., Ward, L., Hyde, J.S. (2008). The role of the media in body image concerns among women: A meta-analysis of experimental and correlation studies. Psychological Bulletin, 460-476.
4. Hargreaves, D. (2003). Longer-term implications of responsiveness to thin-ideal television: support for a cumulative hypothesis of body-image disturbance. European Eating Disorders Review, 465-477.
5. Heinberg, L.J., Thompson, J.K., & Stormer, S. (1995). Development and validation of the sociocultural attitudes towards appearance questionnaire. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 81-89.
6. Martins, N., Williams, D.C., Harrison, K., Ratan, R.A. (2009). A content analysis of female body imagery in video games. Sex Roles, 824-836.
7. Noll, S.M. &Fredrickson, B.L. (1998). A mediational model linking self-objectification, body shame, and disordered eating. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 623-636.
8. Reed, D.L., Thompson, K.J., Brannick, M.T., & Socoo, W.P. (1991). Development and validation of the physical appearance state and trait anxiety scale. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 323-332.
9. Silverstein, B., Perdue, L., Peterson, B., Kelly, E. (1986). The role of mass media in promoting a thin standard of bodily attractiveness for women. Sex Roles, 519-532.
10. Watson, D., Clard, L.A., &Tellegan, A. (1998). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1063-1070.

Introduction

Body image is the perception that a person has of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings that result from that perception (McShirley, 2015). In our lives today, technology, media in particular, plays a very important role in the decisions we make on a daily as it clearly gives us an overview of how things should be and how we should live our lives.

This has both positive as well as negative impacts on people’s lives. A very good example is that of body image. The media tends to glorify certain body shapes and types while indirectly shaming others. This eventually leads to constantly staring at oneself in the mirror while comparing their body to others. Other signs may also include envying friends’, celebrities, and media personnel. (Ekern, 2012).

The media has made many people become more conscious about their bodies. The media has shown what their ideal body type is, while leaving people to feel as if the average weight is not good enough. (Cardosi, 2006)

Background Information

Media is clearly an important part of our day-to-day lives. Through the media, we are able to learn about many things happening around the world and be up to date with news, sports, entertainment, etc. According to marketers from the United States, a person spends an average of 669 minutes of their time on media. (EMarketer, 2012). This is a significantly large amount of time. It’s enough for one to be influenced. It’s enough for one to change their views on certain things. In a couple of seconds, it’s very possible for a person to feel negative about their body simply because they only see the slimmer, hourglass figures, the abs on the covers of the magazines and on commercials while their body is nothing close to that. According to an article by glamour, 97 percent of people interviewed admitted to having at least one ‘I hate my body’ moment. ( Shaun Dreisbach, 2011).

Instead of the media being used to spread positivity, it’s giving many people unnecessary pressure. The pressure may lead to making drastic lifestyle changes just to fit in. Just to get more likes on their social media posts, to get the attention given to other celebrities. Even in Kenya, many celebrities have undergone dangerous procedures such as skin lightening which has led to more problems than they had in the beginning. The ingredients in the ointments, creams, oils used contain toxic substances that are harmful to our bodies and may even lead to the generation of cancerous cells.

The media should be able to give importance to every single body shape whether tall, short, skinny, big, dark or light-skinned. It shouldn’t matter. The main message that should be spread is that people look good no matter their differences and they should shed light on the fact that we can all look the same as we are all created in a unique manner.

Statement of the Problem

In today’s day and age, more and more individuals are changing their perspectives to match that of the media’s current ideals. (Bartleby, 2018). The compulsion to be thin and perfect is all too relatable. Many women struggle with this dissatisfaction on a daily basis. People are feeling ashamed, guilty, and discouraged about their bodies (Cash & Smolak, 2012, p.102). The main purpose is to ensure the media stops glorifying certain body types and to encourage everyone to love their own body, no matter how different.

We all have an idea in our heads of what beauty should be. Many believe that for you to be beautiful, you have to be light-skinned, have a certain body type for the ladies, broad hips, tiny waist, and for the males, you have to be well built. The media has really concentrated on this and it has had a negative impact on how people view their bodies. According to an article published by Medical News Today, ‘We really need to educate young people on how social media use could be making them feel about themselves and how this could even be linked to stringent dieting, eating disorders, or excessive exercise. There are people who may be triggered by social media and who are especially vulnerable (Mills, 2018).

According to Altabe and Thompson (1996), Heinberg and Thompson (1995), and Fallon (1990), social endorsements found in the media portraying an ideal body have led to body image disturbance in some women, as well as implicated the development of eating disorders in some women. Furthermore, Heinberg and Thompson (1995) found that females who were exposed to appearance-related media were less satisfied with their body shape than females who were exposed to non-appearance-related images. Women who were less satisfied with their bodies had a lower self-image and lower self-esteem than women who were satisfied with their physical bodies.

This shows the relationship between media and negative body image. These have led to the development of eating disorders e.g. anorexia, bulimia, self-harm, severe cases of anxiety and depression, suicide, isolation, etc. Which in severe cases lead to death. Crandall and Rothblum (Striegel-Moore & Smolak, 2000) studied women and beauty and found that overweight girls and women experience significant social pressure, including teasing about weight, discrimination, and condemnation. This forces people to conform to the beauty standards set out by the media and society.

In response to the problem, the study proposes to bring about educating people on how media use could be making them feel about themselves. To improve the situation, the study will try and change the media to cover all body types and not only focus on the models. This will help people of all shapes and sizes to love and be comfortable in their own bodies.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study was to show the impacts of the media on how people view their bodies and how they feel about themselves. Stice and Shaw (1994) stated that one of the strongest transmitters of the pressure to look like the thin ideal may well be the mass media.

Research Questions

1. What is media influence and how does it affect decisions made on a daily?
2. What is body image and how does it influence our lives
3. What is the relationship between the media and body image?
4. What are the challenges associated with body image and how can the media change to ensure positive body image?

Justification of the study.

Many studies have examined and tested the relationship between body image and the media in various forms such as magazine and television advertisements. However, not many have studied the impact of the media on body image. The effects are worth raising awareness on and it’s about time the media does something about glorifying certain body shapes and sizes.

A study was carried out in the US on the influence of social media in particular, Pinterest, and it proved that people who follow fitness boards on Pinterest are more likely to engage in intense weight loss behaviors. What many individuals fail to comprehend is that the way people present themselves online is not always similar to their real lives because people hardly share the bad things about their lives on social media (Lewallen&Behm-Morawitz, 2016).

This study proposes to examine the relationship between the media in all forms and its impact on how people view their bodies and feel about themselves. Facebook and eating disordered symptomology in college-aged females. Comparisons to images and thin confederates can lead to increases in body dissatisfaction- images that are prevalent on a social networking site with over 1 billion users (Smith, 2012).

Significance of the study.

This study would be extremely important to the public to let them now that they don’t need to conform to certain standards of beauty glorified by the media.It is also important as it will shed light on the fact that everyone is different in shape and size and it is, therefore, impossible to look completely similar to another person. The results of the study could also help the media notice the negative impact it has brought on body image, and perhaps convince them to change and promote positive body images.

Assumptions of the study

1. The method of research will be able to capture all information needed.
2. The participants will be able to understand the importance and therefore give completely honest answers.
3. The various forms of media used will be representative of the negative impact on body image.

Scope of the study

The study seeks to understand the influence of the media on body image. The scope of this study is limited to Riara University students as it is an institution that offers diversity in terms of background, culture, and beliefs. The answers will therefore vary according to different people’s beliefs and opinions. Students, as well as staff of Riara University, were interviewed. Additionally, information gathered from polls carried out on Instagram was also used.

Definition of terms

Body image -the perception that a person has of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings that result from that perception.

These feelings can be positive, negative or both, and are influenced by individual and environmental factors. (McShirley, 2015)

Eating disorders-Eating disorders are illnesses in which people experience severe disturbances in their eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions. People with eating disorders typically become preoccupied with food and their body weight. (Parekh, 2017)

Anorexia – Anorexia nervosa is a condition characterized by an abnormal fear of gaining weight, driving people to starve themselves and become dangerously thin. It is more common in females but does occur in males as well. Sometimes a life change or traumatic event may be associated with the development of the illness, or even a desire to excel in sports. ( Medicinenet, 2017)

Bulimia nervosa-An eating disorder characterized by episodes of secretive excessive eating (binge-eating) followed by inappropriate methods of weight control, such as self-induced vomiting (purging), abuse of laxatives and diuretics, or excessive exercise. ( Medicinenet, 2017)

Appearance related attitudes- Attitudes towards one’s physical body appearance, and specifically, “women’s recognition and acceptance of societally sanctioned standards of appearance” (Heinberg, Heinberg, Thompson, & Stormer, 1995, p.81).

Self-harm is the act of deliberately harming your own body, such as cutting or burning yourself. It’s typically not meant as a suicide attempt. Rather, this type of self-injury is a harmful way to cope with emotional pain, intense anger and frustration. (Mayoclinic, 2018)

Summary

This chapter has presented an introduction to the study as well as a look into the impact of media on body image. The statement of the problem has been clearly explained. The questions to aid in the research have been formulated and the purpose of undertaking the research explained. Further, the assumptions, limitations and delimitations, scope of the study, the significance of the study, and the definition of the keywords as they are used in the research have been systematically introduced. The next chapter presents the literature review; the theoretical framework, empirical literature, and the conceptual framework.

Body image is a complex construct of self-attitude in relation to a person’s own body, shape, appearance, and size (Walters-Brown & Hall, 2012). Thus, body image affects how one sees and values his or her self. This paper will discuss my family’s experience as to how a chronic illness such as cancer disrupts a person, such as my grandmother’s body image, both physically and psychosocially. Additionally, affecting her psychological state and self-perception as an area of function continuously decline (Rhoten, 2016).

To begin, body image extends beyond how a person views his or her appearance physically, it also involves one’s feelings, thoughts, perceptions, and behaviours that relate to the body and how it functions (Gingeret, Teo & Epner, 2014). Body image develops throughout life and when it gets affected by an outside force such as an illness, a person undergoes major changes in appearance and functioning. These major changes vary on how a person reacts to the diagnosis and treatments (Rhoten, 2016). In my family, we have experienced various cancer diagnoses and every one goes through the process differently and the one who has experienced it worst is my grandmother when she discovered she has breast cancer. In literature, body image fixates on women because of gender differences as society puts women’s physical appearance on a higher degree compared to men’s physical appearance (Walters-Brown & Hall, 2012). As a politician’s wife and a woman, my grandmother always projects a perfect image into the society through every party and place she goes to as she takes perfect care of her self. Throughout her life, my great grandparents have always supported her in everything she ever wanted to be and to do, she only experienced a positive body image as a child and a teenager (Walters-Brown & Hall, 2012). As a result, her body image continues to improve and build as she gets older and when she discovers she has breast cancer, it starts to decline. As she goes through chemotherapy, physical and psychosocial changes start to disrupt how she sees and values her self. For instance, my grandmother begins to see changes in her weight, body, and face as she was losing a lot of weight, starts to have sunken eyes due to fatigue and difficulty sleeping and starts to lose hair as a side effect of the treatments. But, most importantly, she undergoes through a mastectomy and lost one of her breasts. In addition to her physical changes, she starts to experience changes psychosocially, which involves social factors and an individual’s behaviours and thoughts (Walters-Brown & Hall, 2012). To start, my grandmother continues to stay in the hospital as she can no longer do anything without help, she gets weaker every day and that causes a huge shift in her personality. My grandmother starts to become irritated, agitated and angry even at the smallest things. Furthermore, she refuses to look at her self in the mirror and see visitors, she starts to distance her self from all of us. As evidence, Rhoten’s paper discusses that disturbance in body image is characterized by a person’s dissatisfaction with how he or she looks that can result in the decline of how they live their lives and causes them to isolate themselves from the world (2016).

For body image disturbance in cancer patients to occur, there are three attributes that patients must possess which are changes in self-perception, a decline in an area of function and psychological distress (Rhoten, 2016). To begin, the first attribute is self-perception of a change in appearance and displeasure with their change in appearance (Rhoten, 2016). For example, my grandmother experiences a severe level of disfigurement in her body because she undergoes a surgical mastectomy that causes her to lose one of her breasts, who made her feel less beautiful, aside from her chemotherapy treatments and its side effects. My grandmother has a distorted self-perception as she views her self less than who she was before her journey with cancer began. Moreover, the second attribute is a decline in an area of function both physically and socially as a consequence of experiencing cancer or being treated for it (Rhoten, 2016). With a continuous decline in her physical health, my grandmother feels that she is left with no choice but stay in her bed all day. As a result, her quality of life continues to decline, she cannot stand up by her self anymore or take a bath in the shower and most especially, she does not have an appetite to eat as she did before. Before learning about her illness, my grandmother used to attend the most extravagant parties with my grandfather and have the best times of their lives whenever she and her friends are together. She is the most social person I know, and everybody loves that about her. However, after treatments and her surgery, she no longer feels that she has the energy to go out and socialize with anyone. Finally, patients who experience psychological distress is the last attribute and the key component of body image disturbance (Rhoten, 2016). For instance, my grandmother becomes dismissive when we talk to her about how she is doing or anything that has to do with her cancer. Throughout her journey with cancer, she has become sadder and angrier at times which is such a huge shift from her happy, energetic and optimistic personality before. My family and I never fail to understand her because it is not impossible for her to change when she is facing a very difficult phase in her life. Moreover, she is in constant pain, but she always chooses to suffer in silence because she does not want us to worry about her. Like any other people suffering from illnesses, my grandmother also has her bad days and when she does, she likes to throw at people whatever she can reach. As evidence, elements of psychological distress include a person’s inability to cope, experiences change in their emotional status, discomfort and how they communicate it and harm which my grandmother’s behavior is exhibiting (Rhoten, 2016). Overall, all of these attributes result in further disrupting her body image.

Additionally, the main consequence of experiencing a disturbance in body image is social patterns alteration (Rhoten, 2016). As for those people who experience an extreme body image disturbance like my grandmother, people tend to avoid social situations and isolate themselves (Gingeret, Teo & Epner, 2014). Even on my grandmother’s good days, she refuses to have visitors other than us who is her family and she refuses to go out even when she can because she claims that she looks worse than she was the day before, every single time. She continuously pushes us away when we try to help her and says that she can do everything by herself. In addition to the change in social patterns, another consequence is the person’s development of a negative body image that results to a decreased self-worth and self-value (Walters-Brown & Hall, 2012). Women who have a negative body image feel disgusted because they lack self-control with their physical appearance (Walters-Brown & Hall, 2012). For instance, since my grandmother starts to experience side effects from her treatments, she stops looking in the mirrors as stops caring what she looks like. Also, she stops caring about what she wears and stops to watch what she eats, which is everything she is not before. Therefore, my grandmother develops negative body image towards her self.

Finally, as a result of a rapid deterioration in my grandmother’s perception of her self, her health care team starts to intervene, providing some interventions to help my grandmother and family through a very difficult time in our lives. The healthcare team teaches us to never underestimate the severity of my grandmother’s complaints and concerns and provides us with resources that can help us improve her body image (Walters-Brown & Hall, 2012). My grandmother starts to go to a cancer support group that our church hosts once a week and no matter how busy my grandfather is, he always goes with her. In addition to the support group, my grandmother also begins to attend counselling with the parish priest. Both the support group and counselling has helped my grandmother’s body image as she continues to have a healthier spiritual and psychological relationship with her self. Thus, both help her cope with everything that she is going through (Walters-Brown & Hall, 2012). In addition to the resources that the team provides my family with, they also teach us how to make my grandmother feel heard and loved more, as she needs our support now more than she does before. So, whenever she tries to push us away, we let her express her feelings and we never give up on her. When she complains and gets mad, we talk to her calmly and ask her what is wrong instead of being scared and leaving her. As a result, my grandmother slowly starts to regain what cancer took from her, which is her body image.

As a second year nursing student, the new understanding of the concept of body image has immensely influenced my future practice as it provides knowledge to nurses how to look at the person in a holistic way. Every person experiences a disturbance in body image differently than another and looking at the reasons why this occurs instead of just treating every patient the same, will promote better nursing practice. Hence, I am given more knowledge than I did before through understanding the concept of body image, what causes it to be altered, consequences it can bring to a person and how nurses can help them to cope effectively and get better.

To conclude, body image affects a person’s quality of life in various ways and when an event such as discovering an illness occurs, one’s body image gets disturbed. As a result, a person tends to avoid social gatherings as well as interactions with other people because of the displeasure in their physical appearance and in how they live their lives (Rhoten, 2016). Hence, there are different causes that disturb a person’s body image and there are also numerous ways that the health care team can help not only the person but also their families.

References

1. Cororve Gingeret, M., Teo, I., & Epner, D. E. (2014). Managing body image difficulties of adult cancer patients. Cancer, 120(5), 633.
2. Rhoten, B. (2016). Body image disturbance in adults treated for cancer – a concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(5), 1001-1011.
3. Walters-Brown, B., & Hall, J.M. (2012). Women’s body image: implications for mental health nursing interventions. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 33(8), 553-9.

With the excessive use of social media today and the growth of sport in social media, sport is constantly on the public agenda. Social media platforms such as Instagram have become a huge part of the health and fitness industry, with Instagram as the second most used social media platform and the fastest growing with over 800 million monthly users. This allows sport and exercise to be exposed to millions of social media users, even if they have no participation in exercise themselves. Although this can be used in a positive way to promote healthy and active lifestyles, media influence can lead to body dissatisfaction. Media is seen as a sociocultural factor that can contribute to body concerns and consequently deeper mental health issues such as discorded eating, anorexia and depression. This essay will focus on the impacts of social media as a sociocultural factor affecting individuals body image and body concerns. Focusing on how it may lead to body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem and how this alters training goals/objectives.

First, research has found that media influence can lead to body dysmorphia. This is because media portrays an “ideal” body. For men this is usually strong and muscular due to the dominant hegemonic masculinity in society and for women a thin or ultra-thin body. When individuals cannot achieve these body types themselves it often leads to low self-esteem, and bodily concerns which in turn can lead to disordered eating.

Uchôa et al studies how media such as television can affect adolescents, especially through puberty. Where girls may have sudden weight gain and boys may have sudden weight loss due to growth. According to (Uchôa et al., 2019) Grabe et al found that women and adolescents exposed to the media spent more money on improving their appearance and were more susceptible to eating disorders. (Uchôa et al., 2019) carried out a study using a descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study. The following figures show that, Uchôa et al, found that media influence was low for 26.4% of girls and 28.3% for boys. Media influence was moderate for 14% of girls and 13.3% for boys. Media influence was high for 11.7% of girls and 6.3% for boys Uchôa et al (2019, p. 6) They then found that media influenced boys who were overweight/obese boys more than ‘normal’ and ‘thin’ boys. The following figures show 85% of thin girls showed low media influence. However, 56% of girls who were overweight and 63% of obese girls showed moderate to high media influence Uchôa et al (2019, p. 7) Uchôa et al research demonstrates to us that if you do not fit the “ideal” body then you are more likely to be influenced by media.

Next the essay will focus on how modern-day media such as Instagram affects men’s body satisfaction and exercise motivation. This article suggests that the ideal body comes from three primary sources; peers, family and media (Thompson et al.,1999). This articles shows that mediational pathways allow individuals to internalise ideals and this influences the view of their own body (Rodgers et al., 2015).

Fatt et al., studied men aged 17-30 who were using Instagram. This sample included individuals from Caucasian, Asian and Australian cultures. Fatt et al., measured how long individuals spent on Instagram, how often they viewed fitspiration posts, how often they compared themselves to others on Instagram, how much they internalised the muscular ideal, individuals exercise motivation and individuals body satisfaction. In order to reduce demand characteristics Fatt et al., used a single blind technique where individuals were unaware of the real aims of the experiment. However, this may raise ethical issues such as deception and informed consent.

Fatt et al., found that in contradictory to Uchôa et al., frequency of viewing fitspiration posts did not directly affect body satisfaction, appearance based exercise motivation (where individuals exercise purely to achieve an ideal body) or affect health based exercise motivation (where individuals exercise in order to improve their health) however Fatt et al., did find that frequency of viewing fitspiration posts did positively correlate with how often/much individuals compared their appearance with others. Fatt et al., also found that frequency of viewing fitspiration posts also positively correlated with how men internalised the muscular- ideal body.

However, a limitation of Fatt et al’s., research is that it is only correlational. And therefore, cannot establish a causal link. Therefore, it cannot prove that the direct viewing of fitspiration posts cannot be the direct cause of these findings.

These findings show that although fitspiration is meant to encourage and inspire individuals to take part in healthy active lifestyles. Instead it can lead to individuals internalising body ideals such as the muscular-ideal internalisation (Fatt et al., 2019) therefore fitspiration is linked more closely to appearance motivations rather than health motivations (Fatt et al.,)

The essay will now focus on how media influences women’s self esteem and their determination to achieve the ideal thin body, portrayed on social media. Fernandez et al, carried out an online survey to examine whether media influenced individual’s self-esteem. Fernandez et al, used different measurements and identified different factors that may impact individuals. such as influence of media models on body image, internalization of media messages, societal pressure, information about how to achieve a certain body ideal, drive for thinness, and social self-esteem.

The results of these factors were then drawn up in a table showing the means and standard deviations. The following figures from the table show that media internalization – general in females was 3.19 mean and in males was 2.57 mean proving that women are more likely to internalize images from the media. Social pressures for women was 3.098 mean for women and 2.20 mean for men. showing that women are more likely to feel pressured to look a certain way (thin ideal) than men. influence of media models on women was 3.10 mean for women and 2.07 for men proving that women were also more influenced by models in the media than men. drive for thinness in women was 21.10 mean and 14.07 for men.

This study has proven that women are much more influenced by media than men. Fernandez et al, found that influence of media models on body image, internalization, societal pressure is all related to women’s ambition to be thin. Fernandez et al, also found that societal pressure influenced women more than men.

A limitation of Fernandez et al, study is that by examining drive for thinness may have made this study gender bias. If the factor had changed to drive for muscularity in men, we may have been able to make a clearer comparison between men and women’s ideal body preferences. This way they could have compared media influence for men and women based on societies traditional expectations of each gender.

To conclude these three pieces of research have shown that media influence is prominent in society. It has shown that media can influence both men and women into internalising body ideals that are portrayed in the media. The research has also shown that these body ideals can further lead to issues such as discorded eating. To conclude we have found that women are more likely to be influenced by the media than men as well as individuals with higher BMI’s. However, the body ideals for men and women are different. Men are influenced by the media to believe they need to be lean and muscular whilst women drive for thinness. This is due to the different representations of men and women in the media. In order to tackle low self-esteem and disordered eating due to the media, more variance in body shapes and sizes need to be displayed on media platforms. This way individuals will begin seeing other body shape and sizes as normal and internalise them. By portraying more realistic body shapes and sizes on the media individuals will begin to have higher self-esteem and women are less likely to drive for thinness and men are less likely to drive for muscular bodies.