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Models' Influence on Girls
It has long been assumed that graphic images of thin models can give girls
and women unhealthy perceptions of ideal body shape. A new study, of girls in
the 5th through 12th grades, confirmed that magazine photos do influence
their idea of a perfect body shape, with 69% of the girls affirming an influence.
The work, conducted by researchers from HSPH, HMS, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and other institutions, is published in the March issue of Pediatrics. "This is the first study to assess directly the impact of print media on the weight and body shape beliefs of young girls," said lead author Alison Field, SD '95, instructor in medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "We found that 47% of the surveyed girls said they wanted to lose weight because of the photos in the magazines. Also, the more frequently a girl read fashion magazines, the more likely she was to feel this way."
"Influencing perceptions of ideal body shape for girls and women is a thorny area," said Field. "Because the health dangers of being overweight are well documented, it's not a bad thing if overweight girls feel encouraged to lose weight. On the other hand, there may be harmful psychological consequences if girls feel unhappy with their bodies because they don't measure up to unrealistic standards set by underweight fashion models."
HSPH-affiliated coauthors of this study, "Exposure to the Mass
Media and Weight Concerns Among Girls," include Lilian Cheung,
Steven Gortmaker, and Graham Colditz.
