“The ‘thin ideal’ being portrayed in the media is a constant reminder of the negative body image being taught to adolescents in our culture and then continuing to be supported by the rest of our population… Body image and self-esteem are definitely affected by the media, in that people compare their actual physical body to those in the media and experience guilt or shame and thus body dissatisfaction… The long term effects of the media should be researched more thoroughly, and perhaps examine the body image and self-esteem of the generation in which the ‘thin ideal’ began. If we cannot come together as a society and change the way we perceive beauty, there will be serious health consequences, not only in the physical sense but also the mental sense.”

Read more about the Effects of the Media on Body Image.