Passage1BeautyandBodyImageintheMediaImagesoffemalebodiesareeverywhere.Women—andtheirbodyparts—selleverythingfromfoodtocars.Popularfilmandtelevisionactressesarebecomingyounger,tallerandthinner.Somehaveevenbeenknowntofaintonthesetfromlackoffood.Women’smagazinesarefullofarticlesurgingthatiftheycanjustlosethoselasttwentypounds,they’llhaveitall—theperfectmarriage,lovingchildren,greatsex,andarewardingcareer.Whyarestandardsofbeautybeingimposedonwomen,themajorityofwhomarenaturallylargerandmorematurethananyofthemodels?Theroots,someanalystssay,areeconomic.Bypresentinganidealdifficulttoachieveandmaintain,thecosmeticanddietproductindustriesareassuredofgrowthandprofits.Andit’snoaccidentthatyouthisincreasinglypromoted,alongwiththinness,asanessentialcriterionofbeauty.Ifnotallwomenneedtoloseweight,forsurethey’reallaging,saystheQuebecActionNetworkforWomen’sHealthinits2001report.And,accordingtotheindustry,ageisadisasterthatneedstobedealtwith.Thestakesarehuge.Ontheonehand,womenwhoareinsecureabouttheirbodiesaremorelikelytobuybeautyproducts,newclothes,anddietaids.Itisestimatedthatthedietindustryaloneisworthanywherebetween40to100billion(U.S.)ayearsellingtemporaryweightloss(90to95%ofdietersregainthelostweight).Ontheotherhand,researchindicatesthatexposuretoimagesofthin,young,air-brushedfemalebodiesislinkedtodepression,lossofself-esteemandthedevelopmentofunhealthyeatinghabitsinwomenandgirls.TheAmericanresearchgroupAnorexiaNervosa&RelatedEatingDisorders,Inc.saysthatoneoutofeveryfourcollege-agedwomenusesunhealthymethodsofweightcontrol—includingfasting,skippingmeals,excessiveexercise,laxative(泻药)abuse,andself-inducedvomiting.Thepressuretobethinisalsoaffectingyounggirls:theCanadianWomen’sHealthNetworkwarnsthatweightcontrolmeasuresarenowbeingtakenbygirlsasyoungas5and6.Americanstatisticsaresimilar.Severalstudies,suchasoneconductedbyMarikaTiggemannandLevinaClarkin2006titled“AppearanceCultureinNine-to12-Year-OldGirls:MediaandPeerInfluencesonBodyDissatisfaction,”indicatethatnearlyhalfofallpreado