Question 18- Critically Evaluate The Role Of Body Aesthetics In Eating Disorders

Question 1

Introductory statement

Answer 1

• Body aesthetics has long been argued to be a cause, or play a highly significant role in eating disorders
• Charities and campaigners will iarge images portayed in the media do a lot of the time demonstrate unrealistic body images

Question 2

Mele et al (2013)

Answer 2

-Obtained judgements from the PPs of thin and rounder bodies before and after exposure of either thin or rounder bodies

-Results:
•In all 3 conditions, PPs preferred thinner bodies compared to rounder
•Those exposed to rounder bodies had an increased liking to them
•Those exposed to thinner bodies had a decreased liking to rounder bodies
•Those with/more susceptible to eating disorders did not have an increase in liking of rounder bodies in the rounder bodies condition

-Conclusion:
•Body aesthetics, especially ideals from the media, can be a risk factor in eating disorders

Question 3

Role of body aesthetics

Answer 3

• May directly affect how one feels about themselves

- May surface from maternal influence

Question 4

Waugh and Bulik (1999)

Answer 4

-Found that out of all the mothers with eating disorder histories in their sample, 20% of them tried to change their child’s appearance even if they were of healthy weight

Question 5

Johnson and Birch (1994)

Answer 5

-Maternal control of their child’s eating interferes with the development of the child’s dietary self-regulation

Question 6

Striegal-Moore and Kearney-Cook (1994)

Answer 6

-Children’s body esteem and the frequency of their weight loss attempts was related to their mother’s comments about their weight

Question 7

The studies suggest…

Answer 7

-Body aesthetics, either exhibited by one’s perception of themselves or by family members, does play a role in eating disorders

Question 8

Body aesthetics not the only factor that play a role in eating disorders, or may not be the only reason someone develops it

Answer 8

-Pike et al (2006):
•Frequency of negative events was positively associated with the likelihood of binge eating disorder, as women with B.E.D experienced more negative life events in the year before they developed the eating disorder

-Shows how complex eating disorders are and how many factors play a role in them, such as body aesthetics