© 2013 MCGRAW-HILL EDUCATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1 Body Image CHAPTER 8.

© 2013 MCGRAW-HILL EDUCATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Body Image

CHAPTER 8

WHAT SHAPES BODY IMAGE?


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• Body image is the mental representation that a person has of his or her own body, including perceptions, attitudes, thoughts and emotions

• Culture has a strong influence on body image

• The advertising industry and the media are relentless in selling the American consumer an image of the ideal body

WOMEN AND BODY IMAGE


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• Our culture still tells women that their most important job is to be beautiful

• From infancy onward, girls are described as “delicate,” “soft,” and “pretty”

• Females are encouraged to define themselves in terms of their bodies

• The media places heavy emphasis on women’s physical attributes rather than their abilities, performance, or accomplishments

• Since the 1950s, the imagined ideal female body is seen as thinner

• Women experience high levels of dissatisfaction with their bodies



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• Belief in the thin ideal and body dissatisfaction can lead to dieting

• This combination increases the risk for disordered eating behaviors

• Calorie restriction: a reduction in calorie intake below daily needs

• Purging: using self-induced vomiting, laxatives, or diuretics to get rid of excess calories that have been consumed



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• Puberty has significant effects on body image

• Eating disorders are most likely to develop during adolescence

• Body fat increases in healthy girls from 12% to 25% during puberty, which causes many girls to become concerned about their bodies

• By sixth grade, twice as many girls as boys consider themselves fat, even though they are not overweight by objective standards

MEN AND BODY IMAGE


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• Male body image has been less affected by cultural expectations and the media than female body image has

• Historically, men have been judged by achievement and strength more than looks

• In the past, media and advertising have promoted a masculine image that emphasizes power, action, performance, and choice

• Men are more satisfied with their body size and appearance compared to women

• Men are more shape-oriented rather than weight-oriented

MEN AND BODY IMAGE


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• As with women, the ideal male body shape has become more unrealistic, distorted, and extreme

• Muscle dysmorphia is a disorder in which one perceives his body to be underdeveloped no matter how highly developed his muscles are

• About 10% of eating disorders are now diagnosed in men

• Eating disorders among men may have been underdiagnosed because these disorders have been considered a female problem

SPORTS AND BODY IMAGE


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• Sports may provide protection against eating disorders by promoting performance rather than appearance

• High-level athletes often succeed because of their high expectations of themselves

• Athletes often learn to disregard signals from their bodies, including pain, during training

• The risk for eating disorders appears to be greatest for athletes competing at elite levels, such as college teams

DISORDERED EATING AND EATING DISORDERS


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• Disordered eating behaviors are common and widespread

• Restrictive dieting, skipping meals, binge eating and purging, laxative abuse, etc.

• May occur in response to emotional stress, an upcoming athletic event, concern about personal appearance, etc.

• Disordered eating behaviors may or may not develop into a full-blown eating disorder

DISORDERED EATING AND EATING DISORDERS


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• Eating disorders are conditions characterized by severely disturbed eating behaviors, distorted body image, and low self-esteem

• Jeopardize physical and mental health

• Occur primarily among people in Western industrialized countries

• Occur in all ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic groups

• More prevalent when food is abundant and has taken on symbolic meanings such as comfort, love, belonging, fun, and control

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS


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• More than the simple exposure to the thin ideal and social pressures

• Family history of eating disorders, depression, substance abuse, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or obesity

• Gender

• Females at greater risk than males

• Gay and bisexual men at greater risk than heterosexual males

• A history of depression and anxiety



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Factors contributing to eating disorders.



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• Certain characteristics or thought patterns associated with eating disorders, including:

• Low self-esteem

• Self-critical attitude

• Belief in the importance of thinness

• Black-and-white thinking

• Feelings of emptiness

• Need for power and control

• Difficulty expressing feelings

• Lack of coping skills

• Lack of trust in self or others

• Perfectionism

DIAGNOSING EATING DISORDERS


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• Anorexia nervosa:

• Refusal to maintain minimally normal body weight

• Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight

• Disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of low body weight

• Amenorrhea—the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles



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• Bulimia Nervosa:

• Marked by consuming large amounts of food, then using inappropriate means (binging or excessive exercise) to rid themselves of the calories

• People with bulimia also have a distorted body image

• Binge eating and purging are behaviors that are usually socially isolating

• Purging can consist of self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications



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• Criteria for bulimia nervosa:

• Recurrent episodes of binge eating

• Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior to prevent weight gain

• Self-induced vomiting

• Misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications; fasting; or excessive exercise

• Episodes occur, on average, at least twice a week for three months

• Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight



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• Binge-eating disorder:

• This disorder involves binge-eating behaviors without vomiting or purging

• Individuals afflicted can be normal weight or overweight, but if the disorder goes unrecognized, they often eventually become obese

• They have body weight and shape concerns, emotional distress, and disordered eating patterns similar to those of people with anorexia or bulimia



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• Criteria for binge eating disorder:

• Recurrent episodes of binge eating

• The episodes are associated with:

• Eating much more rapidly than usual

• Eating to the point of feeling uncomfortably full

• Eating large amounts of food when not hungry

• Eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating

• Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or guilty about overeating

• Marked distress about binge eating

• The binge eating occurs, on average, at least two days a week for six months

HEALTH EFFECTS OF ANOREXIA


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Anorexia can cause changes throughout the body

HEALTH EFFECTS OF BULIMIA


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Bulimia can cause changes throughout the body

HEALTH EFFECTS OF BINGE-EATING DISORDER


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• Health consequences are related primarily to obesity, including:

• Cardiorespiratory disease

• Diabetes

• High blood pressure

• Gallbladder disease

• Osteoarthritis

• Sleep apnea

• Certain cancers

TREATING EATING DISORDERS


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• Aside from osteoporosis, most of the negative health conditions are reversible

• Keys to recovery are:

• Early intervention

• Lower incidence of purging behavior

• Support and participation of family members and loved ones

• Lack of other diagnosed psychological problems

• Recovery includes the return of regular menstruation (women) and return to a normal testosterone level (men)

TREATING EATING DISORDERS


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• First step toward treatment is to recognize problem

• Effective treatment involves a multidisciplinary or multimodality team

• Possible hospitalization

• Once weight has been stabilized, the next phase is behavioral modifications through:

• Psychotherapy

• Behavior relearning and modification

• Nutritional rehabilitation and education

• Medication

BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER


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• A preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance or excessive concern about a slight physical anomaly

• Preoccupation causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning

• The preoccupation is not better accounted for by another mental disorder

• Preoccupation areas:

• Males: genitals, muscle mass, and hair

• Females: breasts, thighs, and legs

BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER


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• Muscle dysmorphia: an obsession with muscle building; may be related to obsessive-compulsive disorder

• Some people with body dysmorphic disorder turn to cosmetic surgery to correct their supposed flaw in appearance

• Not everyone who turns to cosmetic surgery has this disorder

• Cosmetic surgery can also have psychological and physical benefits

• Body art: about one in five is dissatisfied with his or her tattoo

FEMALE ATHLETE TRIAD


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• A set of three interrelated conditions:

• Disordered eating patterns, often accompanied by excessive exercising

• Amenorrhea: cessation of menstruation

• Premature osteoporosis: reduced bone density

• Excessive exercise to lose weight or attain a lean body appearance to fit a specific athletic image or improve performance

• Female athletes need to understand the importance of good eating habits and moderation in exercise

ACTIVITY DISORDER


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• Excessive or addictive exercising, undertaken to address psychological needs rather than to improve fitness

• People continue to exercise strenuously even when the activity causes illness, injury, or the breakdown of relationships

• Used to gain a sense of control and accomplishment, to maintain self-esteem, and to soothe emotions rather than to increase fitness, relaxation, or pleasure

AWARENESS AND PREVENTION


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• Individual attitudes

• Value yourself based on your goals, talents, and strengths rather than your body shape or weight

• Look critically at the images and messages you receive from people and the media



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• College initiatives

• Prevention efforts should include both individual measures and campus-wide activities

• Residence advisors, professors, coaches, trainers, and other college staff can be trained to watch for problems

• Health and counseling services can be visible and accessible



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• Public health awareness

• Focus on raising awareness about eating disorders and changing widely accepted social norms

• Develop organizations and programs to promote healthy body image and lifestyle patterns

© 2013 MCGRAW-HILL EDUCATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1 Body Image CHAPTER 8.

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