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Popular American Culture

The media in current popular American culture has vast amount of influence on much of our every day lives. Some examples of these influences are purchasing decisions, lifestyle choices, and body image. Contemporary media has a negative affect on all people’s perception of themselves, especially the younger generations.
“Some reports indicate that children as young as 5 years old are becoming concerned, even obsessed, with their weight and shape. Indeed, eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors are appearing in pre-teens and teens at an increasing rate. According to US estimates from The National Institute of Mental Health, between 5 per cent and 10 per cent of girls and women (i.e. 5-10 million people) and 1 million boys and men suffer from eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or other associated dietary conditions. Estimates suggest that as many as 15 percent of young women adopt unhealthy attitudes and eating patterns. With media at every corner you cannot deny where these images are coming from.”
Some people say that the media has no influence on body image. Further, some say that the media has everything to do with body image. Still others say that the jury is still out on the Medias influence on body image (Vandereycken, 2006).
There are various types of media, and ways that they influence a person’s body image. Television and movies are the top influences on body image, especially among girls between the ages of 14 and 17 years old, as they show an increase in body consciousness based on the figure of their favorite actress (Vandereycken, 2006). These girls resort to habits that, if not monitored closely, can lead to serious health problems.
Print media shows models, both skinny and full figured, with shapely figures. The models that we see most often are the slender or skinny ones. Here we again see the need to be as thin as possible in order to wear the smallest size. Most young people don’t give their bodies a...