Body Image- My interests (Research)

"It’s hard to imagine a world where idealized female imagery is not plastered everywhere, but our current situation is a relatively new phenomenon. Before the mass media existed, our ideas of beauty were limited to our own communities. Until the advent of photography in 1839, people were not exposed to real-life images of faces and bodies. Most people did not even own mirrors.²⁰

Most of the women we see in the media are young and white. Hollywood movies rarely feature women over forty, and the older women we do see represented in the media, from movie stars to news anchors and even politicians, look much younger, thanks to plastic surgery. As a result, those of us who choose to age naturally, without the aid of plastic surgery, are sometimes seen as "letting ourselves go.""

http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/excerpt.asp?id=2


I find looking at the media and body image very interesting and this is one of my favourite topics to look at. I have started to research a lot more into it and find some of the outcomes very interesting and this is starting to be very influential to my work.

"The media has a profound effect on people, particularly women, and the way that they perceive themselves and their bodies. Thanks to television, the Internet, and movies, media has a strong hold on women's personal perceptions of what beauty is supposed to be. Because of this, it has been known to contribute to some women experiencing eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Young girls, teenagers, and even young adults should educate themselves about having a healthy body, and learn how to accept themselves for the beautiful person they are inside."
http://www.admedia.com/media-and-body-image.php

I feel like the media does influence women and men on there bodies and maybe does encourage eating disorders in people. 

Lately i feel that it isn't mostly women who are affected as it used to be, i feel like a lot more recently men are more conscious of there bodies also, due to celebrities and the media.

"Here are some statistics relating to the media and how it has an effect on women and their body image:

• Most models weigh an average of 23% less than a typical woman. Twenty years ago, this difference was a mere 8%.
• Over twenty years ago, the diet business was not as profitable as it is now, with much of this relating to the media. Today, this industry consists of over $33 billion each year.
• There has been at least a sixty percent increase over the last twenty five years in the way women are portrayed; now, over half of women in media are perceived as sexual objects.
• Shockingly, problems with eating disorders have increase over 400% since the year 1970.
• Only five percent of women in the US actually fit the current body type popularly portrayed in advertising today.
• Teen People Magazine conducted a recent survey. In it, they discovered that over 25% of the girls surveyed felt that the media makes them feel pressure to have a perfectly shaped body.
• In another study, 69% of girls concurred that models found in magazines had a major influence on their concept of what a perfect body shape should look like."
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  http://www.admedia.com/media-and-body-image.php
  
  
  These statistics show just how much of an influence the media has on peoples bodies and how they see themselves.