Nearly nine out of 10 teenage girls say the fashion industry is partly responsible for girls’ obsession with being thin, according to a survey of more than 1000 girls age 13 to 17 sponsored by the Girl Scouts of America:
The health implications of the preoccupation with super thinness are serious. Nearly 1 in 3 girls say they have starved themselves or refused to eat in an effort to lose weight. In addition, 42 percent report knowing someone their age who has forced themselves to throw up after eating, while more than a third (37 percent) say they know someone their age who has been diagnosed with an eating disorder.
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February 5, 2010 at 6:49 pm
I don’t know why you think this is the “other” side of obesity. Obesity has always had at least the two dimensions: health and appearance. And there are good biological reasons why. For more see, http://www.downeyobesityreport.com
February 5, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Thanks for the clarification. I was thinking in terms of the “other side” of the same coin — i.e., a health issue associated with two extremes of weight. But your observation makes a lot of sense. Thanks again, Carl