negative body image and eating disorders in non-western cultures

Running head: NEGATIVE BODY IMAGE AND EATING DISORDERS 1

Negative body image and eating disorders on the rise in Non-Western cultures

Amber Chambers

Argosy University, Washington, D.C. Campus

NEGATIVE BODY IMAGE AND EATING DISORDERS 2

Abstract

This paper focuses on the decrease in body images as the increase in eating disorders rise in

Non-Western cultures. The author’s focus is to utilize research from five peer review articles, one book

and one textbook to support the reasons behind this recent phenomenon taking place amongst the youth

as it is spreading its havoc worldwide and effecting the youth. This paper will identify the problems,

illustrate the developmental stage that is affected by the development of negative body image and eating

disorders, and provide suggestions on how to help our youth fight this battle as well as assisting parents

and counselors as they begin to wage a war against the monster that is claiming the live of our youth.

Bringing light to what drives our children to the lengths that they will go for a mythical illusion of

beauty. Why are our youth dying to be “beautiful”?


Introduction

In the United States over the past two decades it is common to know about eating disorders and

understanding the perplexities within our society in order to understand where the increase in eating

disorders and decrease of body image stems. With so much emphasis being places on the increased

popular pressures to be thin by many media outlets such as television, internet, magazines, billboards,

and dieting fads are now some of the most feared predators of our youth. Parents often fall into believing

these ads and begin to place importance on developing looks rather than developing character in their

children. It has almost become a normality of our society to have an eating disorder and negative body

image, almost to the point that some youth discuss plastic surgery as if it were like picking out a new

handbag or pair of shoes to match a new outfit. Other cultures have seemed to fall under the radar until

recently. It did not seem that their youth were exposed to the same issues with hatred for their bodies

and wanting to do anything possible to remain thin. With the increase in technology and the

development of the internet Eastern cultures have been exposed to Western cultures. The internet has

become a global hot spot for social networking and allows for our youth of the world to become

vulnerable to criticism on a much larger, much more global scale, especially in terms of body image.

There appears to be a constant decrease in self-esteem and body image while and constant increase in

impulsivity develops in order to complete the task of obtaining this unrealistic sense of beauty by any

means necessary. Many individuals believe that eating disorders are culturally bound phenomena,

because in Western society the ideal shape is equated with beauty, success, self-control and power. In

Western cultures, a stockier build is equated to laziness or weak-willed individuals and thus the pursuing

of an unrealistically thin physique. While on the journey to obtaining this picture of perfectness


individuals become preoccupied with diet, fitness, fashion and the cosmetic industries. We understand

that there is a high prevalence in negative body image and eating disorders in Western cultures but why

has this trend began to be reared in Eastern cultures? Previously it was reported that eating disorders are

rare occurrences in Non-Western cultures but increasing evidence supports an increase in eating

disorders and negative body image. Are Western ideologies regarding the standards of beauty crossing

cultures? Several researchers support this idea. Thanks to media outlets, increased immigration, and

increased world travel eating disorders along with negative body image are becoming a reality for many

cultures in the world that were once very rare.

Issue

Eating disorders and negative body image appear to go hand in hand. What exactly are these two

developmental disturbances? Body image is the perception, imagination, emotions and physical

sensations about our bodies. These perceptions are not based on fact but change give mood, environment

or physical experiences. Body image is psychological influence by self-esteem. This is not inborn but

rather learned within our environments. Learning occurs within our circle of family and peers and is

often reinforced by what is learned and culturally accepted. Psychological boundaries develop early in

life and become a factor in healthy or unhealthy development. If a person has developed a negative body

image they are a higher risk developing an eating disorder. An eating disorder often begins with a

preoccupation with food but there are often other underlying issues and an eating disorder has more to it

than just food. Sociocultural forces believed to contribute to the development of disordered eating

include (a) the significance of appearance in the female gender role; (b) the importance of appearance

for women’s success in society; and (c) the thin-body ideal promoted for women, particularly through


mass media. If these are contributing factors than why are we seeing increases in negative body image

and eating disorders in countries that emphasize aspects of characters revering woman as they are

naturally. In many African cultures women are revered more if they are larger and several cultures in

many countries in Africa send their girls or women to a special house to “fatten up” before they are to be

wed. Larger women in these societies are welcomed because they are viewed as signs of prosperity and

fertility but in Western cultures larger women are viewed as lazy or weak-willed.

The island of Fiji has prided itself for a long time as enjoying their ideal body image for both

genders as robust but three years after the first television broadcast in the region in 1998 there was an

increase in negative body image and increase in eating disorders among the island’s adolescents

(Becker, 2004). In this study, Becker (2004) points out that at this time in Fiji there was rapid social

change and the need for competitive social positioning. Becker (2004) continues by stating that imagery

in media is known to affect adolescences and that often times marketing is geared toward the

development of youth into a desired state (beauty, body weight, etc.). Media outlets affect youth at a

very critical age in their development, when they are trying to find their identity in the world. These

outlets tell the youth what in the world is desirable and that they must meet these standards in order to be

accepted by others. Rather than identity being the development one, the media outlets prey on the social

identity of youth. Constructing the concept for many teen that they can be reshaped or fixed and Becker

(2004) makes a great argument that identity in this sense is co-constructed by the local social world in

such a way that individuals draw heavily on cultural resources and symbols to construct, understand, and

represent who they are as individuals. Another study conducted in rural Thailand examined body image

preference with both male and female adolescents. When many think of rural areas anywhere in the


world they may picture less access to outlets that would expose them to media imagery but this is quite

the opposite. Many rural areas in Thailand have mass access to magazines which expose the youth to the

Western standards of beauty (Sharps, Sharps & Hanson, 2001). These images altered the way that rural

Thailand youth perceived body image and have begun to prefer the images correlated to those in

Western cultures (Sharps et al., 2001). Becker (2004) states that the Western imagery and marketing are

more powerful with Non-Western cultures because they are perceived to be exclusive. What has

happened in a country where women are mandated by law to cover their bodies with a long veil or

overcoat and have little exposure to Western cultures? Why has there been an increase in negative body

image and eating disorders?

Iranian females living in Tehran and have had no exposure to Western cultures have a positive

body image and no evidence of eating disorders, however those Iranian females that have been exposed

to Western culture by attending Universities in the U.S. or England have a more negative body image

and higher rate of eating disorders (Abdollahi & Mann, 2001). There was a similar occurrence among

Swazi youth when exposed to Australian individuals. Australia has experienced high exposure to

Western imagery and products for decades and has experienced a high prevalence in negative body

image and eating disorders. Most research focuses on the effect of Western cultural exposures on

adolescent girls but prevalence in males experiencing negative body image and eating disorders is on the

rise. Chinese males and researchers according to Chen & Jackson (2008) are speculating that new

generations of males in rapidly developing countries may be particularly prone to body image

disturbances due to losses in social status as a result of modernization and changes in social structures.


These psychosocial variables contribute to the social, emotional and behavioral maps of development

that Erk (2009) discussed.

Relevance to adolescent development

Identity versus role confusion is the stage where adolescent individuals are establishing identity.

According to the previous research mentioned in this paper it is during this stage that many youth are

experiencing the negative body image and eating disorders. This stage of development has appeared to

fail therefore leading to the individual major pivotal task results in a tainted view of self and their peer

and familial relationships (Erk, 2009). Erk (2009) explains that the signs and symptoms may be similar

in males and females but there is a social stigma attached to eating disorders being a “female problem”

so males are less likely to seek treatment. Not only does body image and eating disorder affect

psychosocial development but it can hinder growth, hormonal, and fertility development in adolescence

as well (Erk, 2009). Adolescent females with eating disorders may cause a delay in experiencing their

first menstruation, and they may also experience minimization in stature and their breast development

(Erk, 2009). Once they transition from adolescence to adulthood these individuals may experience

infertility as adults. Many adolescents may develop psychiatric disorders that can coexist with the eating

disorder and negative body image. Many youth may experience Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

and they may begin to display repetitive behaviors as a coping mechanism to reduce the fear and anxiety

that they experience (Erk, 2009). Many individuals may using laxative, diuretics and enemas to

eliminate the food they ingested and many of these individuals can develop physiological complications

many that can lead to death (Erk, 2009). At a time when they are going to the extremes to fit in with a

social clique they may slowly be killing themselves. Pike & Borovoy (2004) data suggests that over-


reliance on the model of “Westernization” obscures what is culturally and socially specific about the

contemporary state that contributes to the rise of eating disorders in Japan. Pike (et al., 2004) suggests

that the rise in eating disorders and negative body image may in part be a function of increased exposure

to Western beauty ideals and maladaptive management of eating and weight. What can we do as

counselors address the rise of negative body image and eating disorders among the youth of the world?

Discussion

As counselors knowing how to assess for an eating disorder and understanding the social,

cultural, and familial factors contributing to the individuals’ eating disorder. Be aware that it is never

about food, size, weight, or shape (Wiseman, 2009). Educating parents regarding their child’s eating

disorder and negative self image is important for the adolescents’ recovery. Emphasis on open line of

communication between youths and their parents and encourage parents to avoid making comments

about their body shape or size, food, dieting or weight loss or gain in the presence of the teen (Wiseman,

2009). Use techniques that can foster increased positive self-esteem and techniques that help your teen

to articulate what these media outlets are telling them what they should fix. Help the teens to identify the

factors to why they feel that they need to measure up to the unrealistic expectations of society.

Counselors can provide resources and support groups to help the teens and parents through the journey

and recovery. It may be helpful for counselors to encourage parents to work with their teens on a

scrapbook identifying and celebrating the amazing individuals that they are and are capable of

becoming. Celebrating the good qualities and values that they possess that have no bearing on physical

appearances, weight loss or weigh gain can help the teen to develop a positive self image. Counselor

may want to suggest limiting time for the teens that include face book, texting, reading magazines about


celebrities and their recent plastic surgeries, or who has gained or lost weight. Encourage teens to read

articles or books that celebrate role models that have overcome obstacles to achieve their goals.

Conclusion

Western culture has an enormous impact not only on our youth in the United States but on other

countries that exposed to our media outlets as well. It may difficult to govern these entities and how they

market their products but empowering youth to limit their exposure of the imagery. More and more we

see that many nations are becoming industrialized and Westernized by having unlimited access to the

same imageries that many of our youth have is quite a feat. Learning how to identify these signs and

symptoms of eating disorders or negative body image is imperative. Many organizations are fighting this

cause and may need support from lawmakers and other social entities. Organizations such as The Girl

Scouts, Girl, Inc, and the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty are helping to empower our youth to develop

and maintain a health view of self and that it is okay to be themselves and unveiling the smokes and

mirrors of the marketing industries that are used to create an unrealistic image or ideal of beauty.

Fighting back with empowerment and educating younger and younger generations that their beauty is

acceptable and that false imagery contributes to a false sense of self. Providing teaching tools to other

countries to help in their fight and struggles with acculturation and how to keep their cultural values and

beliefs of healthy body image and prevention of eating disorders and help to diminish the prevalence of

these disorders in both Western and Eastern cultures.

NEGATIVE IMAGE AND EATING DISORDERS 10

References

Abdollahi, P. & Mann, T. (2001) Eating disorder symptoms and body image concerns in Iran:

comparisons between Iranian women in Iran and in America. International Journal of

Eating Disorders, November, 2001.

Becker, A. (2004). Television, disordered eating and young women in Fiji: negotiating body image and

identity during rapid social change. Culture, Medicine & Psychiatry, December 2004.

Chen, H. & Jackson, T. (2008) Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of eating disorder

endorsements among adolescents and young adults from China. European Eating

Disorders Review, 375-385.

Erk, R. (2009). Adolescents and eating disorders. In counseling treatment for children and adolescents

with DSM-IV-TR disorders (332-369). (Pearson, Merrill & Prentice Hall).

Pike, K.M. & Borovoy, A. (2004). The rise of eating disorders in Japan: issues of cultural and

limitations of the model of “Westernization.” Culture, Medicine, &Psychiatry,

December 2004, 493-530.

negative body image and eating disorders in non-western cultures

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