Western Media Exports Eating Disorders To Asia

Posting Date: 10/24/2000

It?s pretty obvious that there are social and psychological reasons for eating disorders and a new study confirms this view.

The fact is eating disorders such as anorexia didn?t exist previously in some parts of the world, but with the Western influence of svelte models on television advertisements, this has changed.

For the first time, anorexia is becoming common in such places as Hong Kong and in the higher society levels of various Asian countries such as Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Korea that are exposed to the ultra-thin model image shown by the media, according to a report in the British Medical Journal.

While the rising rate of eating disorders can?t be blamed entirely on the media, it is a growing health challenge in the Asian nations. This report also shows how media exposure can influence the attitudes of young women about how they see their bodies.

Source: British Medical Journal, Oct. 21, 2000

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