TV and Body Image

we could have porky role models instead of the usual stick thin/muscly ones ... there could be a radical new approach ... which suggests that looks aren't everything ... an amazingly mind boggling approach that gets to grips with the fact that it doesnt matter how skinny/toned you are ... you will be be hopeless in relationships if you don't have "personality" ... i know, i know ... time to wake up ...

One could always take responsibility for their own life and not blame advertising on their problems.

parental unit???

RD, although you're right in theory, most people are abjectly unaware of how influential the media is in 'steering' their lives (toward -advertisers- profit-making schemes, naturally). Advertising is absolutely insidious and affects most people, consciously or unconsciously, to some extent. Children are the easiest targets as they have usually not been taught to think critically about the 'messages' being sent out by the media. And there lies another question: are teenagers children, or adults? Can they think critically?

'Experts' say that being a lard-arse cuts 7.5yrs off your life expectancy. Does anyone really want to be a big fat smelly dollop of lard? I doubt it. Even those that say they are 'happy' with their shape/size/weight would (apart from Dawn French, if she is to be believed, which I don't), given the opportunity would prefer to have Rachel Hunter's figure than your average sea- lions. There's obviously a variety of 'normal' body shapes but there is also a point beyond which a persons shape is dictated by the excess fat they carry. The two options are as I see them are, get your arse reamed out to a bigger size or reduce the size of your mouth. (The third option involves common sense and self control, so that's best discarded!)

Sheesh. You guys are missing the point of the thread entirely. The point -is-, not that teenagers are actually fat (although in the States and UK obesity is still increasing very rapidly in children and adults), but that the -images- that are broadcast as being desirable are unrealistic; it's no surprise that eating disorders usually begin in the teenage years, even amongst teens whose weight is actually 'normal'. I think it's very sad.

You can hardly blame television for broadcasting beautiful thin people all the time, they are in the business of selling product and pretty sells better than ugly. That thin is an aesthetic ideal is a cultural factor that television merely reinforces. There is always going to be an ideal, and it is always (by definition) going to be unreachable for the majority of us. The problem is the enormous prevalence of television (and the stick insects that inhabit it) as well as magazines, movies, billboards, and everything else, is convincing the ugly fat people that thin is the norm. If they turned the damn thing off and got outside and lived life, perhaps they'd twig that people come in all sizes.

Hahahaha! No pun intended, I'm sure... I'm not sure ugly, fat people are the norm, any more than stick insects. I'd prefer a happy medium, myself... a society of reasonably fit, reasonably healthy people...? With healthy self-esteem? Yah, I'm a dreamer, me.

It's not an ideal in my house. Being happy and healthy is better. Being overly thin is actually MORE unhealthy than being a bit overweight. FACT. Yes, yes, yes, don't eat your KFC or whatever, but may I make a comment: why do people get all snobby about it and suggest that all overweight people are tucking into regular take-aways... I tuck into regular wholemeal flour walnut cakes that I've made myself, or quiches with home-made wholemeal pastry. I make macaroons and melting moments from recipes that my gran used to use. I like cooking. We don't judge all those thin people on TV for smoking furiously, or snorting coke off of each other's bare breasts. I hate the judgement based on the 'you're lazy' thing. Most celebrities smoke and do coke. FACT. Let's have a go at them for doing that and pretending it's all down to drinking lots of water, going to the gym, and lots of sleep. SHEEESH.

fags and coke eh? hmmm ...

They always say, 'I have great genes,' and I think... hmmm, I once saw you snorting coke off a toilet seat at a New Year party...

Nice to see you on here again, fergal! I would agree about the whole stupid 'fat vs thin' mentality. Mind you, obesity (and we're not talking about a bit of extra 'round the middle, but morbid obesity) has huge medical ramifications far beyond those experienced by 'thin' people (arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, etc.) but I feel the whole obsession with being cut and ripped skin and bones thin is definitely far, far more unhealthy for the psyche. I'd rather eat some Green n Black's extra dark chocolate. My 7-year old SON comes home and says, 'Mum, I'm getting fat' and I think, oh fuck, how do I deal with this? I mean, he's SEVEN and nothing but beautiful boy-muscle and some freckles. We don't watch junk telly where he could be inundated by these kinds of ideas (unless watching 'Spring Watch' is unhealthy), so where does it come from? God help me when my daughter starts worrying about it.

Yeah, I find that very sad. My neice said to me, 'I've got a fat belly,' and pointed at nothing. 'I want to look pretty,' said next. She is three. That has nothing to do with health. Healthy is good. Losing weight for how you look, isn't, because you'll always wonder if people only like you now because you are thin. I know this because I lost weight at 17... I was a 14 before, and went down to a small 10. I grew my hair. I had never even kissed a boy before then, and suddenly all these people who'd ignored me appeared out of the woodwork. I thought it was because I was now thin, and it made me feel wretched.

Its to do with school as well as media... My own kids are perfect shape, yet go on about being fat. "What dont you like about yourself?" asked number 3 at tea time. I changed it around by asking "what DO you like about yourself/each other?" You jut have to combat it when you can.

Well, I called it parental unit to avoid the assumption that Mum and/or Dad are the parents. Could be gran, could be auntie, you know... I was using a group term rather than an individual wotsis.

Oh, and, I had special k (red berries) for breakfast, skipped lunch because busy, red apple for snack, and a homemade pasta salad for tea. How great is that? I am now eating a magnum choccy ice cream thing though, because i'd just HATE to end up one of those skinny people who carp on about how disgusting fat people are, yet have NO discernable joy in any part of their personality. Mean and stringy - urgh.

Here here. You know what. I don't want to be sanctimonious from my end, but I don't think anyone is in a position to judge anyone else about anything really. We all try our best at whatever we do... It's easy to blame the media for stuff, but I suppose we are the goons who watch/listen/believe the stuff (well, I don't, obviously. And I'm certainly not obsessed with celebrity magazines - that's a lie)

This whole body shape thing is quite new for me - I have always been slim, but being male and 25 I have started to develop something of a pot-belly. In fact, I look a little like the snake that swallowed the elephant. I blame the media, because it's easier than running or joining a gym. And I'm happy :-)

Now that Nigella Lawson is curvy and gorgeous. I genuinely don't think stick insects are attractive - I think it's just a fashion trend that's gone mad. I also believe that it's mostly women who fall for the skinny is attractive nonsense and that most males would go for curvacious every time. Definately as you get older, you can't afford to be too thin - a couple of years ago I accidentally lost some weight which I was really chuffed about until I caught sight of myself in a photo - Jees - I looked scrawny and ten years older. I'm just hoping that boy figures with comedy boobs go out of fashion by the time my daughters are older. [%sig%]

I try to stress to my kids that being happy with yourself is much more important than 'others' being happy with you, and that being healthy (rather than thin) is one of the most important things they can do for themselves. I'm sure you folks have heard of that psychological test some researchers did on body dysmorphia; they showed three pictures of the same woman (two altered: one more curvaceous and one much thinner) and asked both women and men which one they felt -men- found most attractive: the men inevitably chose either the normal one or the curvy one; the vast majority of women chose the stick insect looking one to be most attractive to men. There is clearly a whistling chasm between what we -think- and what -is-. I agree about the boy bodies with cartoon boobs. The saddest thing is, here in Cambs. I continually hear a radio advert with a silky smooth female voice touting the benefits of cosmetic surgery. "We KNOW how important your self-esteem is to you," she coos. "More and more people are choosing cosmetic surgery....". As John says: GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Absolutely: Agghhh. I told Ellie about the statistic in the article saying that models now are 15% medically underweight. (Some girls in her year (6) are already talking about diets - I don't know if they're trying to mimick older girls or whether they're genuinely concerned - good grief.) [%sig%]

It's really dreadful. Sometimes I'm tempted to move away from Western society, to someplace where we aren't so valued by our looks, just to spare my kids the constant barrage of 'You're shite if you aren't thin/rich/beautiful/drive a Beemer/covered with bling bling/etc./ad infinitum'. Mind you, looks are valued in every culture, but in some places there just isn't the obession with being 'perfect', which is a farce. It sickens me.

I'll add this one to the pot, for emphasis...

It's very easy to blame the advertisers and yes, many of them are scum. But you have to remember, and to teach kids, that they use unattainable ideals precisely for that reason. If you saw some average jane dough faced woman advertising cosmetics for example, would you go out and buy some. No, thought not. Teaching kids to take things with a pinch of salt would be far more useful. Teaching them that vanity is terribly ugly would be even better.

I am in total agreement. Much easier said than done, however. After a certain point, the peer group becomes more important to the child than the parental unit, generally thought to be around age 7 (in terms of imprinting, that is). Can a healthy self-esteem remain healthy when surrounded by low-esteemers, especially in the unsure years of childhood?

I am realy happy with my body despite my diet of lard and lager... the way I see it,I don't have to look at MY body so it doesn't matter what it looks like...just don't have mirrors in the house problem solved... No-one's going to tell you you look like a beached whale and a heavily drunk one at that.

I've always been drawn to wearing kaftans, anyway...:-D

;o)

Sell the buggers fat food and make 'em miserable by parading slim young lovelies in front of them while they're stuffing their necks.

Er, I think that's the problem, rather than the solution....

We could all perhaps show some restraint and maybe go down the gym once in a while, or just stop ordering the full KFC bucket and the 'buy one get one free' pizzas? Just a thought.

OK here's another if we're going to be body fascists: sitting in front of soaps, music videos and endless repeats of desperate housewives is not going to get you thin and fit.