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Richa Koirala

Professor Reynolds

ENG 1201

25 Oct 2021

Media and its Influence on the Eating Disorder.

Today, social media plays a significant role. Many people use social media to

communicate with families, friends and make connections for work. In the past few decades,

technology has rapidly developed. The media has become much more accessible with

smartphones and social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to have easy

access. The media can have a negative as well as a positive impact on one’s life. The rise in

eating disorders like Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia has been severely worsened and has been

linked to the arrival of social media.

Common Eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, binge-eating and avoidant restrictive

food, and bulimia nervosa intake disorder. Anorexia nervosa is a condition where people are seen

to avoid eating food, strictly avoid food or eat very small quantities of selected food, whereas, in

Bulimia nervosa, people have recurrent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food

followed by forced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives, fasting or excessive exercise or a

combination of these behaviors.

The history of eating disorders, especially Anorexia nervosa, dates to the Middle Ages

where Self- starvation was more focused on spiritual purity instead of the drive for thinness. It

was during the Middle age where self-induced fasting was so extreme that it led to premature

death because of starvation. The Renaissances Age was the time frame where the religious

reason for fasting became less associated, and a new pattern appeared. It was often explained
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with a mix of spiritual and material beliefs. The perfect body shape for a woman has been

changing to suit the societal norms as well as the cultural norms. It has evolved from an ample

curvaceous figure to a progressively thinner body figure. (Dell’Osso et al.)

There is no definitive cause of eating disorders, but researchers have found that genetic,

biological, behavioral, social, and factors play a role in developing the disease. Social media are

the top contributing factor that is responsible for the increasing growth of the disorder.

Maintaining a thin and in-shape is what most magazines, advertisements, and TV commercials

force upon most young people. Our society has been focused on the excessive need to be thin

and attractive; many women face the difficulties of dealing with psychological issues that

damage one’s self-esteem.

The 2010/2011 official statistics stated that more the 6,500 children and teenagers were

treated in the hospital for eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is one of the disorders that is

spreading through our society like wildfire. The statistics have increased through the last

decades, and more people are becoming concerned with the problematic issue. It indicates that at

any given point in time, 0.4% of young women and 0.1% of young men will suffer from

Anorexia Nervosa. It also shows that a 2007 study asked 9,282 English-speaking Americans

about various mental health conditions, including eating disorders. The results were published in

Biological Psychiatry which reports that 0.9% of women and 0.3% of men had anorexia during

their life. (www.nimh.nih.gov). The cause of death in females ages 15-25, it has been seen that

that rate of anorexia is almost 12 times greater than any other causes. (Rojas.)

Every sold magazine has a model that is above average in height and weight comparably

less than the average female. Men and women compare themselves to these models and do not

come close to their measurements and looks. Body insecurities are usually generated from the
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fear of not having that perfect body. Many people feel the pressure to fit in and be thin as our

society puts such an essential emphasis on appearance and our exterior look. Society should

change the way they interpret beauty or perfection.

Eating disorders, especially Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia nervosa, affects all age group,

but young people are seen to be affected more. It has been seen that young people want to be

accepted by their friends and peers. They attach more importance to their physical appearances

and try to gain approval from others. While doing so, they compare themselves with others on

social media. Lower self-esteem is seen to rise the more time they spend time on social media.

(Paula, et.al.)

Society has a rigorous way of looking into sensitive things. They emphasize being thin,

collar bone popping out, flawless skin, and more to succeed in life. They also make it seem like

these are the most important things for people to gain the notice of. Thinness is a norm of the

current civilization. Everyone in society is made to believe that to be beautiful, and one needs to

be thin. However, one must know that these are the most unimportant things people look for.

People care about the natural person underneath. If we change the vision of how we see beauty,

the number of teenagers and people with eating disorders will drop significantly.

The media will never be the sole reason for causing eating disorders, but one cannot

ignore the importance of media on people’s lives in today’s technological world. Eating

disorders have proven to be a serious issue despite only affecting a small percentage of the

population. Various treatment is available for Binge Eating if anyone struggles with the burden

of an eating disorder (Root.) The best way to put a halt to the spread of eating disorders is

simply intervention and a very close watch over those who might be thinking of adopting an

eating disorder. With better communication, a thoroughly revised social norm, and stronger trust
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for those around would help to decrease the number of cases associated with this disorder. There

have already been numerous campaigns that has helped to bring awareness and fight against

eating disorder, larger social platforms like Facebook, Instagram , Twitter should make a greater

effort to eliminate contents that support disordered eating.

Works Cited

Dell'Osso, Liliana, et al. “Historical Evolution of the Concept of Anorexia Nervosa and

Relationships with Orthorexia Nervosa, Autism, and Obsessive-Compulsive

Spectrum.” Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, Dove Medical Press, 7 July 2016,

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4939998/. 

“Eating Disorders: About More than Food.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services,

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders. 

Rojas, Marcela. “Social Media Helps Fuel Some Eating Disorders.” USA Today, Gannett

Satellite Information Network, 1 June 2014,

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/01/social-media-helps-fuel-eating-

disorders/9817513/. Accessed 25 Oct 2021. m

Root, Kim O'Brien. “How to Talk to Your Doctor about Binge Eating.” WebMD, WebMD,

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/binge-eating-

disorder/features/binge-eating-talk-doctor#1. Accessed 25 Oct 2021.

Friero Padin, Paula, et.al. “. EBSCOhost, doi: 10.5817/CP2021-3-6. Social Media and Eating

Disorder Psychopathology: A Systematic Review.” Cyberpsychology, vol, 15, no. 3, Sept.

2021, pp. 1-21