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Table of Contents

A Word From the Teenagers

Advertisements on the Wall

Am I the Fairest of them All?

You Are Full Fair, Tis True

But No One Is Fairer Than You

Credits

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A Word From the Teenagers

67%33%

46%18%

36%

Boys

Girls

fatskinny

fatperfectskinny

67%

33%

18%36%

46%

Veronica Busa

Interviewed Teenagers Think They Are...

AdvertisementsOn The

WallMiranda Donnellan

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According to today’s society, if you don’t look like this,

you’re ugly.

But who really looks like this?

I’m too fat. I’m too skinny. I’m too tall. Too short. My hair’s too curly. Too straight. Too frizzy. Too flat. Too blond. My eyes are too small. My nose is too big. My feet, my hands, my ears, my walk . . .

The list of everything that is ‘wrong’ with one’s body is endless. At least, to whomever has to live with the body. This insecurity is most prominent in teens, who have to undergo dramatic changes in a relatively short amount of time. And what’s worse, no one is consulted by their own body before it begins to change through some mutinous, inevitable force. The fact that everyone is stuck with the body they are given seems to have little impact on how graciously everyone accept such things, however.

This reluctance to accept what one is stuck with is largely due to social images which, thanks to adver-tising, have become a ubiquitous, inescapable part of daily life. Because of the dramatic changes teens’ bodies are undergoing, insecurity is unavoidable. This unstoppable, irreversible, inevitable change, combined with the bombardment of advertisements

demonstrating what a ‘correct’ body looks like, does nothing to help teens’ self-confidence.

According to a study conducted by the University of Colorado at Boulder, “The average U.S. woman is 5’4” and weighs 140 pounds whereas the aver-age U.S. model is 5’11” and weighs 117 pounds.” This vast discrepancy means that the majority of people, particularly women, who attempt to diet themselves to model skinny are running towards an unreachable goal. Furthermore, when aiming for an ideal body, most women discount health from the matter. The same study showed that “30% of women chose an ideal body shape that is 20% underweight and an ad-ditional 44% chose an ideal body shape that is 10% underweight.”

This distorted view of what is ‘pretty’ causes wom-en to view themselves differently, for it is predict-able that, when faced with ‘perfection’, one should compare one’s own body to what they admire. This viewing is generally in a negative, critical way. As the University of Colorado proved, “After viewing images

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Am I the Fairest of Them All?

Veronica Busa

of female fashion models, seven out of ten women felt more depressed and angry than prior to viewing the images.” What’s more, because of advertising’s consistent use of models, women begin to grow even more critical of their bodies than they often realize. As was discovered, “women overestimate the size of their hips by 16% and their waists by 25%, yet the same women were able to correctly estimate the width of a box.” This demonstrates that, even when women create a ‘good’ number in their minds of how skinny they should be, they view themselves as fatter than they are in reality.

This distorted view, in addition to causing endless dieting and fretting, creates the massive beauty products market that exists today. This vicious cycle begins with woman viewing product posters and wishing to look like the person they see. This urges them to buy products, which fund the beauty campaigns, which kill self-es-teem, which fuels the sales of prod-ucts . . . and the cycle continues.

Unfortunately, exposure to social expectations on beauty begin from a young age with things as innocent as Barbie dolls. According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, if she was a real woman, “Barbie would stand about 5’6”, weigh nearly 120 pounds, and have the measure-ments 38-18-34.” This means that her chest would measure 38 inch-es, her waist a miniscule 18 inches, and her hips only 34 inches. This same source states that “It is specu-lated that if Barbie were human, she would be so thin that she would not be able to menstruate.” This is be-cause, whenever a woman’s body fat percentage drops to unhealthily low levels, her menstruation cycle stops, unable to support one life well, much

less a potential second one. The key points here, however, are that her body is notably unhealthily and unrealistically skinny.

These unhealthy influences are hardly what par-ents want to preach to their children, and yet soci-ety causes such influence to become inevitable. It is because of these endless bombardments that girls are left with the illogical, self-critical views of them-selves, declaring themselves too fat, too thin, too tall, too short. It is a difficult and rare thing for people, particularly women, to accept that perhaps they are beautiful as themselves.

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You Are Full Fair, Tis TrueMiranda Donnellan

“All that chocolate will give you pimples.” Ah, the ever spoken, yet ever wrong statement told to us by many a mother. Yes, it’s all a lie. Chocolate will not cause acne. In fact, chocolate will probably pre-vent it.

Rumor and hype has led to many com-mon misconceptions about the foods we eat. Eggs, for example, shunned because of their high cholesterol count. What’s the missing bit of information? Well, to be-gin, there’s no proven link between the cholesterol found in eggs and adverse affects on the body. Also, eggs provide

protein, iron, and lutein, a nutrient that helps stem age-related eyesight decline. (Spinach and other leafy greens are also good sources of lutein.)

These misconceptions have happened to many an undeserving treat. Foods like potatoes, cane sugar, coffee, and even butter to an extent. Social media has propagated the widespread beliefs of these so called ‘food experts’, which is secretly code for ‘I have a blog, so I must be important”. Here’s an easy guide to clearing up some of these myths.

Potatoes· 60 different vitamins and antioxidants.· More potassium than a banana, which is important for body growth, cell maintenance, nervous function, and for normal muscle contraction - including the heart muscle.· Vitamins C and B6, which are vital for blood clot ting, wound healing, a strong immune system, normal nervous system function and for converting the food to energy.

Chocolate· Chock full of minerals and antioxidants (Common aids in lowering risk for heart disease.)· Combats free radicals which cause skin blemishes.· Increases serotonin which in turn boosts your mood.

Coffee· Coffee drinkers are less likely to have Type II Diabetes.· Less likely to develop colon cancer, liver disease, and Parkinson’s disease.· Aids in the reduction of risk for dementia.

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But No One Is Fairer Than You

The IllnessAnorexia nervosa, usually simply called anorexia, is a psychological disorder resulting in unhealthy, potentially life-threatening eating habits. This dis-order amplifies compulsive dieting and concerns of obesity, usually stemming from minor instances of such things and blooming into a sign of mastery or control over one’s body. This need for control often comes as a response to emotional or social turmoil which the individual feels unable to impact. Anorexia is most apparent based upon restrictive eating, often paired with excessive exercise and/or the abuse of diet pill, diuretics, laxatives, and enemas. This often persists to the point of starva-tion, the cycle creating an obsession very similar to an addiction.Approximately 95% of those affected are female, usually teen-age, but males are susceptible to this as well. Anorexia is most common in teenagers be-cause of the want to feel control and the sense of insecurity during such a time. Additionally, those of high economic status or whose occupation supports thinness (such as athletes, models, dancers, or ac-tors) tend more towards anorexia, with about one out of one hundred adolescent girls suffering from various levels of severity of anorexia nervosa.

The CostWith a mortality rate of approximately 6%, anorexia has the highest mortality rate among psychiat-ric conditions due to complications of the disease such as cardiac arrest and electrolyte imbalances. However, suicide is also common in people with anorexia due to the persistent feeling of helpless-ness in life that often triggers anorexia nervosa. In the absence of any coexisting personality disorders, younger individuals with anorexia tend to do better over time than adults and have far higher recovery rates. This disease, due to its both psychological and physical impacts, affects everyone around the anorexic patient.

The CureIndividuals affected by anorexia nervosa that receive appropriate treatment have about a 50% recovery rate, usually through extensive time of fluctuating weights. Sometimes, even with treatment, though weight might fluctuate into healthier ranges, full re-covery is impossible. It is estimated that about 20% of people with anorexia remain chronically ill from the condition.

Veronica Busa

The IllnessBulimia nervosa, more often referred to as bulimia, is a psychological eating disorder characterized by bouts of excessive eating called binging, often secretive, followed by spells of severe weight loss called purging. Purging is often accomplished via self-induced vomiting, the abuse of laxatives and/or diuretics, or disproportionate amounts of exercise. The secrecy of bulimia is caused by the shame arising from the disorder, with the binging triggered not by hunger, but by stress or depression. Binging often bring satisfaction or happy calmness, but the self-loathing due to the lapse shortly replaces these feelings, leading to purging.Bulimia affects over 3% of U.S. women at some point in their lives. 6% of teen-aged girls and 5% college-aged girls suffer from bulimia, a lower rate than anorexia. However, about 10% of bulimia ner-vosa patients are men, a rate far higher than that of anorexia nervosa.

The CostBulimics tend to be more susceptible to other com-pulsions, disorders, and addictions. 20-40% of women with bulimia have problems with drug or al-cohol use, and unlike anorexics, bulimics experience dramatic weight fluctuations, though their weight loss is rarely as severe or noticeable as anorexics.Due to the continued binging and purging, medical complications are not rare. Self-induced vomiting can lead to potentially dangerous dental problems because of repetitive exposure to stomach acid and salivary glands can become enflamed and dam-aged. The esophagus and colon, due to abnormal functioning, can acquire sores or ruptures and ir-regular or absent menstrual periods may occur due to the unhealthy weight variations. Psychological problems can escalate to serious levels if untreated and interfere with the restoration of normal body functions as well as social interactions in daily life. Some patients have to be hospitalized due to the severity of medical or psychological complications,

a burden which weighs both emotionally on those close to the person and economically to society.

The CureThough the recovery rate for bulimia nervosa is higher than that of anorexia, it still is over stretches of time and bulimics often maintain slightly abnormal eating and dieting habits. The majority of physical harms caused by the disorder can be cured, though psychological treatment often takes longer. Antide-pressants have proven beneficial in bulimia treat-ments

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The IllnessBinge-eating disorder is identified by recurring binge-eating bouts caused by a loss of control over the indi-vidual’s eating. However, unlike bulimia, binge-eating disorder does not include purging, so the majority of afflicted individuals are overweight or obese. An un-healthy cycle arises when the guilt, shame, or distress from binge-eating leads to more binge-eating, which offers a time of temporary relief.

The CostBinge-eating disorder can often lead to other psycho-logical illnesses due to the guilt, shames, and distress felt after binge-eating such as anxiety, depression, and personality disorders. However, these disorders are shown to occur in those close to the individual as well, for such feelings of distress spread to those af-fected by the individual. In addition, the obesity that results from the disorder can lead to many medical problems such as cardiovascular and joint problems.

The CureTreatments for binge-eating are similar to those used to treat bulimia. These include anti-depressants, ap-petite suppressants, and psychotherapy. However, few binge-eaters fully recover from the disorder, often tending towards higher weights even after treatment.

Credits and Sources

“Eating Disorders.” National Institute of Mental Health, 24 Aug. 2010. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders/complete-index.shtml>. Dryden-Edwards MD, Roxanne. “Anorexia Nervosa Symptoms, Signs, Statistics, Treatment, Causes and Diagnosis.” MedicineNet.com. Ed. William C. Shiel, Jr. MD. 2011. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.medicinenet.com/anorexia_nervosa/article.htm>. Krupp, Sarah, and Divine Caroline. “6 (Semi) Healthy Foods That Get a Bad Rap - Excelle.” Excelle : Networking for the Career-minded Woman. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://excelle.monster.com/news/articles/5323-6-semi-healthy-foods-that-get-a-bad-rap>.

Micco, Nicci. “Health | Eating Well.” Healthy Recipes, Healthy Eating, Healthy Cooking | Eating Well. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/health/_5-bad-foods-should-eating>.

Photograph. ButterBoom. Popcorn Media Network Limited. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://www.butterboom.com/2009/02/27/primer-makeup-necessi-ty/>.

Photograph. Cocamia: Givenchy Beauty. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://cocamia.blogspot.com/2011/04/givenchy-beauty.html>.

Photograph. Design Scene. Design Scene. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://www.designscene.net/category/ad-campaigns/page/5>.

Photograph. Fleur Avenue. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://www.fleuravenue.com/2009_09_13_archive.html>.

Photograph. Frillr. Partner of Pop. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://frillr.com/?q=taxonomy/term/201>.

Photograph. Twenty2. OnSugar Network. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://twenty2.onsugar.com/Anna-Sui-Spring-2011-Beauty-Ad-Campaign-12635877>.

Sisson, Mark. “5 “Bad” Foods That Are Actually Good For You.” Daily Burn. Daily Burn, Inc. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://life.dailyburn.com/diet-and-nutrition/5-%E2%80%9Cbad%E2%80%9D-foods-that-are-actually-good-for-you/>.

Stoppler MD, Melissa Conread. “Bulima Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment. “MedicineNet.com. Ed. William C. Shiel, Jr. MD. 2011. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.medicinenet.com/bulimia/article.htm>.

Wardenburg Health Center Community Health Education Department. “Body Image.” Student Wellness. University of Colorado Boulder. Web. 30 Apr. 2011. <http://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/wellness/NewSite/BdyImgShockingStats.html>.Pendergast, Sara. “Barbie.” Gale Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. 2002.

Compiled, Written, Designed, and Edited by:

Veronica BusaMiranda Donnellan

Special Thanks to:

Ms. RicheyMrs. Young

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