Sizing Up The Sizing Up The Media: Decoding Media: Decoding

the Messagesthe MessagesPresented by: Leta Marchand BSW, Presented by: Leta Marchand BSW,

RSWRSW

Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa AssociationAssociation

Windsor, ONWindsor, ON

Statistics on Eating Statistics on Eating DisordersDisorders

1 in 5 women will suffer from an eating disorder1 in 5 women will suffer from an eating disorder Young men represent about 10% of individuals Young men represent about 10% of individuals

with eating disorderswith eating disorders 70% of women and 35% of men are dieting at 70% of women and 35% of men are dieting at

any given timeany given time 98% of all diets fail and not for lack of will- 98% of all diets fail and not for lack of will-

powerpower Canadian children in grades 3 & 4 say they’d Canadian children in grades 3 & 4 say they’d

rather lose a parent, get cancer or live through rather lose a parent, get cancer or live through a nuclear war than be fata nuclear war than be fat

In one study of 500 schoolgirls, 81% of 10 year In one study of 500 schoolgirls, 81% of 10 year olds reported they had dieted at least onceolds reported they had dieted at least once

Dying to Be Thin and Our Dying to Be Thin and Our Fear of FatFear of Fat

What stereotypes and thoughts What stereotypes and thoughts surround the following words:surround the following words:

THINTHIN FATFAT

Impact the media Impact the media has on all of us:has on all of us:

Average person sees 400-600 ads per Average person sees 400-600 ads per day, that’s 50 million ads by the age of day, that’s 50 million ads by the age of 60 years. 1 out of 11 commercials has 60 years. 1 out of 11 commercials has a direct message about beautya direct message about beauty

1990’s showed that Americans spent 1990’s showed that Americans spent $50 billion annually on diet products. $50 billion annually on diet products. This exceeds the projections for the This exceeds the projections for the entire federal Education, Training, entire federal Education, Training, Employment and Social Services Employment and Social Services budgets by five to ten billion dollars.budgets by five to ten billion dollars.

Impact the media Impact the media has on all of us:has on all of us:

dieters reporting the cost to be $180 dieters reporting the cost to be $180 per pound." Fraser, L. (1997), per pound." Fraser, L. (1997), Losing It: American’s Obsession Losing It: American’s Obsession With Weight and the Industry That With Weight and the Industry That Feeds On it. New York: Dutton.Feeds On it. New York: Dutton.

Thinness not only represents Thinness not only represents attractiveness but also symbolizes attractiveness but also symbolizes success, self-control, and higher SESsuccess, self-control, and higher SES

Plastic Surgery StatisticsPlastic Surgery Statistics

Nearly 11.5 million cosmetic surgical Nearly 11.5 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2006performed in the United States in 2006

Since 1997 the overall number of cosmetic Since 1997 the overall number of cosmetic procedures has increased 446 percentprocedures has increased 446 percent

Breast Implants are up 18 percent from Breast Implants are up 18 percent from 20052005

Since 1997, surgical procedures increased Since 1997, surgical procedures increased 123 percent, while nonsurgical procedures 123 percent, while nonsurgical procedures have increased 749 percenthave increased 749 percent

……..Continued..Continued

Americans spent just under $12.2 Americans spent just under $12.2 billion on cosmetic procedures; $7.6 billion on cosmetic procedures; $7.6 billion was for surgical procedures, billion was for surgical procedures, and $4.5 billion was for nonsurgical and $4.5 billion was for nonsurgical proceduresprocedures

COURTESY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR COURTESY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR AESTHETIC PLASTIC SURGERY (ASAPS)AESTHETIC PLASTIC SURGERY (ASAPS)

PORTION DISTORTION IN PORTION DISTORTION IN OUR SOCIETYOUR SOCIETY

Steve Erhardt

The obsession to become a real life Ken doll. Over 30 Plastic Surgery's!

Sarah Burge-”I'm the human Barbie doll”

This was actually her 26th operation. Before she decided she wasn't happy with her bum, this 46- year-old mother of three had 'corrected' almost every other part of her body.

Health-related costs of violence against women in Canada exceed $1.5 billion a year

Three basic techniques are used to Three basic techniques are used to establish superiority or power: size, establish superiority or power: size, attention and positioning. People in attention and positioning. People in charge of their own lives typically charge of their own lives typically stand up straight, alert and ready to stand up straight, alert and ready to meet the world. In contrast, the meet the world. In contrast, the bending of the body conveys bending of the body conveys unpreparedness and submissiveness unpreparedness and submissiveness (Goffman, 1976)(Goffman, 1976)

A Quote from GoffmanA Quote from Goffman

Activity: Critique the following images:

1

Question the motives of the advertisers and Question the motives of the advertisers and the fashion industry!the fashion industry! Advertising Standards CanadaAdvertising Standards Canada

350 Bloor St. E.350 Bloor St. E. Toronto, Ont. M4W 1H5Toronto, Ont. M4W 1H5 416-961-6311416-961-6311 Newspapers and MagazinesNewspapers and Magazines Publishers and Editors names listed in the Publishers and Editors names listed in the

masthead (first few pages)masthead (first few pages)

Media Advocacy Groups:Media Advocacy Groups: www.about-face.orgwww.about-face.org www.mediawatch.cawww.mediawatch.ca www.bana.ca

5 Ways to LOVE your Body5 Ways to LOVE your Body

Stop criticizing yourself and holding Stop criticizing yourself and holding yourself to unrealistic ideals.yourself to unrealistic ideals.

Learn difference between what you Learn difference between what you can change and what you must learn can change and what you must learn to accept.to accept.

Throw away the scales.Throw away the scales. Fight back against socially defined Fight back against socially defined

ideals.ideals. Practice self-acceptance through Practice self-acceptance through

self-talk.self-talk.