It is almost everywhere you look: pictures on magazine covers, advertisements, and billboards. Standing in the line at the grocery store, flipping through a magazine, or just glancing at a commercial on television. It is quite evident by looking at these pictures of young women and men what the media considers as the "ideal" figure. This perception society has created, plays a major part in our countries obsession with thinness and extreme dieting (Nardo 1991).

America's obsession with diets, the fashion industry and television exhibiting dangerously thin models as "sexy", gives a distorted notion sending many young women the wrong idea about body image (Beating the Odds). In today's society these eating problems, such as anorexia and bulimia, are becoming all too common. Yet, the question still remains, what are the causes and factors contributing to this destructive behavior, and what kind of impact is the media contributing to these problems (Pipher 1995)? Although there are only a few professional studies on the issue of eating disor

The fashion industry, television, and society's norms have all promoted not only a distorted perspective of what a "beautiful" person is defined as, but they have influenced many to deception, and leaving many with an eating disorder (Vollstadt 1999). Looking at the television one can easily notice all of the ads and diet commercials claiming to have to newest and hottest diet. With these ads and societies norms, many are led to believe once the weight is lost, we they will be happy (Silverstein 1991).

For many, food is a comfort or security in a time of confusion and stress. The transition from high school to college is an important time, leaving home for the first time is stressful (Nardo 1991). This experience can be traumatic for many, and the unrecognized dependency of parents and lack of experience making adult decisions on their own can cause problems. Living in a dorm or apartment with other student’s means getting along with others, withstanding the normal coming and going as students leaving for school (Pipher 1995). This situation among the other stressful situations college introduces can leave many students vulnerable therefore more susceptible to problem eating. For students who already feel vulnerable to problem eating, this situation may cause more feelings of helplessness, thus worsening the problem even more (Vollstadt 1999).

There are many psychological reasons behind eating disorders, including both mental and emotional anguish. Alvin Silverstein found a connection between the family relationship and the effect it has on young women and men. Silverstein found that women especially, have been abusing food since they were small children. As children they learned to reach for a sweet instead of a potential friend (Silverstein 1991). Also, certain variables contribute to a young women's problem with food. For example, most cafeterias serve food mainly high in fat and protein. Students who study late at night and become hungry cannot access healthy food like they would at home. Therefore, many female college students find themselves handling stress by bingeing or starving themselves (Nardo 1991).

Some topics in this essay:
Marilyn Monroe, Beating Odds, Alvin Silverstein, Bray Pipher, Wrong American, Odds People, Wilson Philips, Eating Disorders, Odds Society, eating disorders, , nardo 1991, pipher 1995, vollstadt 1999, college students, silverstein 1991, beating odds, female college students, prevalence eating, female college, love accept, prevalence eating disorders, various cosmetic surgeries, eating disorders female, countries obsession thinness,