Body Satisfaction Research Paper

3. Results

Even if the two types of eating disorders are separated medical conditions, body dissatisfaction is identified as a strong determinant for both (Young, 2005). It can have several causes, but they can be traced back to an increased social pressure (Makino, Tsuboi, & Dennerstein, 2004) and other psychological factors which may reinforce a person’s dissatisfaction (Calado, Lameiras, Sepulveda, Rodríguez, & Carrera, 2010). Several researchers have identified the exposure to mass media as an influential factor in regard to self-esteem and body acceptance, but the influential kind of content differs for men and women. In general, men can be more influenced by sport content which shows the picture of the attractive and successful muscular

Specifically during the time of adolescence, males and females are most vulnerable to media exposure because their body start changing. The girls’ body get curvier and therefore doesn’t fit in the ideal of a thin body shape. In contrast the boys’ body get first slimmer and taller and thus looks more like the ideal presented by the media. After the first change, boys might also get dissatisfied with their body because hypermuscularity is not achieved. This process might lead to body dissatisfaction, especially in girls who gain their self-confidence from their body shape. Additionally adolescence begin to be interested in relationships which makes the body shape even more important. Linking success and beauty with the thin ideal lead to an even more increased risk of dissatisfaction in girls (Benowitz-Fredericks, Garcia, Massey, Vasagar, &

(2010) have investigated how ED are linked to the med. In the female sample eating disorders are mainly linked to content such as fashion, dieting tips and physical fitness. Benowitz-Fredericks, Garcia, Massey, et al. (2012) have reported in their study that female’s magazines are primaraily giving dieting and fitness advice as well as linking a beautiful look with success and happiness. Additionally models pictured in these magazines are extremly thinny and beautiful. Consequently these contents can lead especially in adolscence to a lower self-esteem and body dissatifaction. Readers might compare themselves with the models even if they are aware if the fact that the pictures are photoshopped. Therefore the findings of Martínez-González, Gual, Lahoriga, et al. (2003) are reasonable. They have found that girls who read females magazine on a regular basis are twice more likely to contract on an eating disorder. Addtionally the research of Groesz, Levine and Murnen (2002) shows that in adolsecent girls, the body dissatisfaction is reinforced by viewing images of thin models.

In the male sample in the study of Calado, Lameiras, Sepulveda, et al. (2010) reading magazines with information about hobbies such as sport sections and music videos is linked to eating disoders. Thus, the content was mainly about dieting and fitness as well as body image. Labre (2005) stated that in men’s magazines hypermuscularity as well as low body fat is