The beauty industry spends billions of dollars a year convincing women that they need to look thinner, younger and sexier. 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023 Magazine asked Tamara Anderson a professor in 晩晩当際際夊消消夊2023s Rosemead School of Psychology about the high toll the media takes on womens body image.

How many women struggle with an unhealthy body image?

The majority of women will say they are dissatisfied with their bodies, but, on the flip side, many of them can also tell you what they like, such as their eyes or hair. This is healthy because it shows they can assess themselves. So having a healthy body image is not about thinking, I feel good about myself in all these areas, because having areas for improvement is just the state of being human. But if a woman feels so bad about how she looks that she doesnt leave her house or hang out with friends, or doesnt put herself in a community where she might develop a romantic attachment, then its affecting her life. And, according to the current literature, one in four women in Western culture will have an eating disorder anorexia or bulimia in their lifetimes.

Do more women in Western culture have an unhealthy body image than in other cultures?

Eating disorders are seen around the world in every industrialized country. But in Western culture, media has a huge influence on womens body image, and we definitely see higher rates of eating disorders in the West. The California subculture home to the entertainment industry and so many beaches is particularly a problem. In California culture, men are much more concerned about how their bodies look than in other places, with whats pushed out here as being the ideal body. But it still does not equal what women deal with.

How does the media contribute to an unhealthy body image?

The whole beauty industry is built on, Youre not OK the way you are. Well make you better. It would seem bizarre to us today, but 50 years ago, when television was brand new, there were commercials that would say, Gain 10 pounds in a week, guaranteed. Women bought these products until wafer thin was considered the best body to have. Then, for a while, Cindy Crawford brought in a new kind of image of models who looked healthier. Also, in advertisements a woman is often treated as a body or a collection of body parts and not a whole. For example, often youll see a part of a womans body maybe her head isnt showing and her knees and below arent showing, but the rest of her body is. Thats a clear objectification of a woman.

Do celebrities struggle with body image issues?

Yes, theyre also victims of the media. Ive worked with models whose names youd know based on how popular they are, and theyve had to lie in bed for 20 minutes in the morning repeating to themselves, I am worthy to get up because they think theyre ugly and theyre depressed and suicidal. Other people look at them and say, Wow, they must have a good life, but they have no idea what these women deal with everyday.

Does the rise in plastic surgeries influence body image?

Yes, this has been very disturbing to me. I just heard a radio ad for breast implants for $299.95. You could get your full body redone for something like $6,000. It sounded like a paint job for a car. The mentality is, If youre unhappy with something about your body, then get it fixed. I just heard of a case from a colleague who is working with a client whose parents gave her breast implants for her 16th birthday. Thats outrageous. The problem with plastic surgeries is that even if one area of the body gets fixed   theres always something else to be upset about. If somebody has true body image issues, then 20 plastic surgeries wont fix whats broken on the inside. Of course, some people do have very simple concerns. For example, they feel they have an unusually large nose as defined by their culture. If they basically feel good about themselves otherwise, then getting a nose job can make them feel good because thats all they were concerned about. But the availability of plastic surgery to the general public is clouding the issue of body image.

Besides the media, are there other factors that contribute to an unhealthy body image?

Family messages are very powerful. Ive worked with girls who are 9 years old who exhibit eating disorder symptoms, partly because theyve been told by their families, Youre fat. You dont want to be fat. So, they start to see themselves as unworthy based on body size. If body image is elevated above other things in girls minds, that can create a problem.

What does current research into body image reveal?

The more refined research is showing the impact of womens perceived body image their ideas of what other people think of them rather than what other people really think of them. Theres a subtle difference there, like, for instance, with a husband and wife. The husband will say, I think youre fine, but if the womans perception is that he really doesnt mean that, then that takes a toll on her. He can be saying until hes blue in the face, I dont have any trouble with how youre shaped and what you look like, but her perception is what is the most powerful.

What steps should be taken if someone suffers from an unhealthy body image?

With clinical eating disorders, interventions will vary woman to woman. Ive worked with clients who Ive told not to read fashion magazines. That may seem like a small thing, but its not small for somebody who is already distressed about her body because fashion magazines depress every woman. Many of my patients have spent a lot of money on them, and they also often surround themselves with people who reinforce the message that theyre overweight. These are the girls with boyfriends who tell them, You need to lose some weight. So, women can choose to be in relationships with men who dont talk that way to them. And Christian women can learn to see themselves as God sees them. That can be a wonderful healing thing, knowing Im one of Gods creatures. He created me. Im beautiful to Him.

How can families help young girls develop a healthy body image?

I have a 6-year-old daughter who loves to put on outfits and match them. Ill say, Oh, you look beautiful. What a smart girl you are to be able to be so creative with your clothes. So, Im always throwing in what a smart girl she is with how beautiful she looks. However, you dont want to go too far the other direction and deny telling girls theyre beautiful. Families must also realize that moms set the tone a lot of the times. If mom is continually obsessing about her weight and continually dieting always saying, Oh my goodness, how many calories are in that? that sends a very strong message to young girls as to what they should be concerned about and whats most important in the world.