Eating Disorders

People involved in pop-culture, carry on the ideal of thinness through judgments, conversations, and teasing. There is an association of humiliation with weight, as women often refuse to disclose what their weight is, and moreover, do not want to be seen in certain types of clothes, such as bikinis and short shorts. This ideal image of thinness contributes to the sense that they should be ashamed of their body size. The chronic passive obsession about weight within families (wife asks husband "do I look fat in this?"), and within circles of friends (first time seeing someone in a while, the comment: "you've gained/lost weight!") continues to emphasize the idea that how we look and what we weigh is of utmost importance. Many of us blame the magazines and diet ads, while we walk around guilty of the same "crimes".

A high percentage of the American culture falls into one of two categories. Couch potato or exercise freak. There is no consistent example set to our children that moderate regular exercise is good for us and essential for our health. They either see us rigourously obsessed with burning calories and fat, or neglecting our bodies through lack of activity. We also live in the age of the video game and the internet where many of our children spend countless hours in front of Nintendo or watching as their parents sit at the computer for hours on end. It is important to encourage your kids to go outside and play and to teach them about exercise. They need to know that there is such a thing as too much or too little. The best thing you can do for your children is to take walks as a family four or five days per week, because "it's good for our bodies and because it's fun".

There is no doubt that eating disorders are affecting millions of Americans. Although these disorders revolve around eating, and food they are really about self-expression. Low self-esteem and depression are influences that lead people to believe that they have a poor image of their body. According to PT Staff (1992) ,"to be a woman in the world today means having to contend with cultural ideals of thinness. The cultural expectations of unrealistic thinness continue to diminish the self-esteem of contemporary women."(Staff p.1) Society continues to emphasize that "thin is in" and it is harming our nations youth. We should be proud of our body image and the fact that we look different. That is