The media has long been a suspected culprit in the factors that lead to the development of eating disorders. Many experts believe that photos of beautiful and extremely thin celebrities and models, altered to make the image seem flawless, may provide an unreasonable benchmark for women.
What if that celebrity or model also has a big, juicy hamburger in their hand and a plate heaped with steaming, salty fries on the table in front of them? An article on a high school Web site discusses the possibility that fast food advertising may be putting young women at risk for developing an eating disorder.
The student who wrote the article believes that when young people view the content of the advertisement, they notice that the actor or actress in the ad is physically appealing and begin to compare themselves with the people appearing in the ad. In order to achieve the physical image of the actors and actresses, they begin to increase their visits to that fast food establishment.
The student also highlights the new requirement for fast food restaurants to include caloric totals for each menu item in Philadelphia, but points out that the number of fast food locations in the city are increasing. The high number of fast food restaurants near school and public centers is also mentioned, suggesting that fast food restaurant owners might be specifically targeting young people.
