Model Behavior

At one time or another, everyone has been reassured, "It's what's inside that counts." Unfortunately, what's inside millions of image-conscious young women are insecurities, feelings of inadequacy, and seeds of physical self-destruction — all sown in an attempt to get "the look."

When it comes to actresses, director Joel Schumacher has teamed up with Hollywood's A-list. Julia Roberts. Sandra Bullock. Ashley Judd. Yet Schumacher says, "I've never worked with a beautiful young woman who thought she was beautiful or thin enough." Hollywood's prescription for attractiveness? Lose one more pound. Drop a dress size. Spend more time at the gym. Still, perfection is elusive and no one is immune to criticism — not even famous pin-up queens. Weighing in on Marilyn Monroe, Bedazzled costar and Estee Lauder model Elizabeth Hurley remarked, "I always thought [she] looked fabulous. But I'd kill myself if I was that fat — she was big."

The fact that Hollywood's bold and beautiful aren't satisfied with what they see in the mirror does not bode well for adolescent girls. It's impossible to completely shield teens from culture's skewed idea of physical perfection. From supermarket checkout lanes to animated Disney heroines, it's everywhere. Increasingly, young women starve and exercise their bodies to comply with an ideal that not even pop culture icons can meet. A disturbing, dangerous trend. But those often manipulated images don't tell the whole story.

Today, top models are 5' 9" to 6' and weigh 110 to 118 pounds, even though the average woman is 5' 4" and weighs 142 pounds. That discrepancy isn't without consequence. Clinical psychologist and Reviving Ophelia author Mary Pipher reports, "Research shows that virtually all women are ashamed of their bodies. It used to be adult women [and] teenage girls who were ashamed, but now you see the shame down to very young girls — 10, 11 years old. Society's standard of beauty is an image that is literally just short of starvation for most women."

University of Michigan assistant professor Kristen Harrison's survey of 303 6- to 8-year-old children demonstrated that TV viewing was a factor among both boys and girls who showed symptoms of eating disorders. "The most straightforward explanation for this finding," Harrison states, "is that television viewing increases children's exposure to dieting images, ideas and behaviors." And consider the Pacific island of Fiji. Islanders first encountered television in 1995. Immediately, there was a sharp rise in eating disorders. Just over three years after the tube's introduction, 74 percent of girls reported feeling "too big or too fat." "Nobody was dieting in Fiji ten years ago," says Harvard Medical School anthropology professor Anne Becker. "The teenagers see TV as a model for how one gets by in the modern world. They believe the shows depict reality."

Is Thinner Really Better?

Television isn't the only culprit. In fact, the seemingly unstoppable force of the beauty myth is fueled by multimedia unanimity on one point: Thinner is better. Modeling agencies don't hire average-sized women because magazines won't book them for photo shoots. Casting directors rarely choose "plus-sized" actresses for lead roles because that image doesn't sell in the industry. Says casting director Lindsay Chag, "People are poised like vultures to attack imperfection. I see a lot of actresses who are incredibly talented and very sexy, but if they are not thin enough, I can't bring them further." Virtually unchallenged, entertainment's visual propaganda leaves kids no choice but to believe that to be worthwhile, they must look like the model on the magazine cover or the star on the screen.

The fallout is staggering. An Exeter University study of 37,500 young women ages 12 to 15 showed that, for 57 percent, physical appearance was the biggest concern. Obsessed with looking good, more and more are turning to the quick fix. In the mid-1990s, cosmetic surgeries increased 70 percent in four years. What's more, females of all ages are jumping on the dieting bandwagon. Studies indicate that 80 percent of adult women have dieted. More than half of teenage girls are, or feel they should be, dieting. A survey of about 200,000 teens in the UK found that 60 percent of girls think they need to lose weight, though a mere 10 percent are actually overweight.

The Snare of Eating Disorders

Of the teenagers struggling with weight and appearance, a mounting number will cross the line and develop a clinical eating disorder. Millions of Americans now suffer from two common disorders. Anorexia nervosa (intentional self-starvation) affects about one percent of teens. And about four percent of female college freshmen have bulimia nervosa, a destructive habit of binge eating and then purging through induced vomiting or laxatives. Essentially, sufferers of eating disorders are psychologically addicted to weight control. The effects of anorexia and bulimia range from hair loss, to the cessation of menstruation, to a weakening of the heart muscle. Anorexia currently has the highest mortality rate of any psychological disorder.

While the media is a chief contributor to eating disorders, other factors play a role as well. Many sufferers tend toward perfectionism, or feel a desperate need for control in their lives. Food becomes a means of establishing order amid chaos. And then there's the acceptance factor. Fueled by a culture that tells them they must perform to be loved, anorectics and bulimics find that losing weight gets them the attention they crave. What starts out as a quest for a pleasing figure and relief from the pressures of life can spiral into a deadly addiction.

• 
• Print Friendly Version
• e-Newsletter Sign Up

Life Applications

First Things First
If you are pregnant and unmarried, a teenager living at home or perhaps away at school, right now you are probably afraid. Don’t despair. Your future is changed, but not finished.

It's Up to You
Now there are two lives to consider. Sound scary? If you know the steps, you can make wise decisions.

The Benefits of Counseling for a Pregnant Teen
If your teen is unexpectedly expecting, this article might be just what she needs to make a good decision about raising a child.

When She's Expecting
Your pregnant daughter needs you more than ever. Show her your love and support through this time of confusion and heartache.

When Your Son is the Father
Guidance and encouragement can help when your son is involved in a teen pregnancy.

Get Help

Books, CDs, DVDs and More

"Mom, I Hate My Life!"
(Paperback) Are you at war for the emotional maturity of your daughter?