Women are being driven to damage themselves by media images of "perfect" and often under-sized bodies, psychiatrists warned last night.
Size zero models and even using pre-teen girls all help to convey the message that women should be unhealthily slim, according to Britain’s Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Digital air-brushing and other enhancements all contribute to the idea that women should look unnaturally slim, they say.
The mental health specialists say that media images of women are fuelling an epidemic of eating disorders.
They have now called for the government to set up a forum to bring psychiatrists together with media and advertising fashion industry representatives alongside organisations that support women with eating disorders.
The college says many articles on dieting are unbalanced – and give little information on the long-term effects of diets that may starve the body of essential nutrients.
It says some writers goad celebrities who appear a little "overweight" or imperfect – and others "glamourise" weight loss.
This week is Eating Disorders Awareness Week and the campaign group "beat" backed the college’s call.
Chief executive Susan Ringwood said: "The media is a powerful influence and we know how vulnerable some people at risk of eating disorders can be to its visual images in particular.
"We know there is more that can be done to make that influence a positive one, and adopting the recommendations of the College’s statement would be an important step."
Psychiatrist Dr Adrienne Kay said: "There is a growing body of research that shows the media plays a part in the development of eating disorder symptoms – particularly in adolescents and young people.
"Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are serious mental illnesses.
"Although biological and genetic factors play an important role in the development of these disorders, psychological and social factors are also significant.
"That’s why we are calling on the media to take greater responsibility for the messages it sends out."
Leave a Reply