The media has a large effect on
society as a whole and there has been an increase in media exposure over the years. The thin,
waif-like look is seen as the ideal, a standard for women to be measured against. The paper shows that women are under lots of pressure to conform to the ideals of
society and the majority of women are on diets or have dieted at some point in their life. This leads to low self esteem and poor body image, which is a precipitating factor in eating
disorders. This essay discusses whether the media is the catalyst for preoccupation with slimness and a major contributor to eating disorders in young women.