MAN-O-REXIA

Anorexia has been known as the eating disorder that affects mostly women. However, a number of men have openly discussed being anorexic, which lead to the creation of the word “manorexia”. The media and the whole idea of the perfect figure greatly affect all people, whether you are a male or a female.

Craig Laue developed anorexia during his high school years. These were the years he felt the most pressure to fit in; "You get into high school — not only did I want be a better athlete, but you want to get attention from girls, and you want to fit in," Laue said. "Everybody else is in shape, and I was always a pudgier kid with glasses." Laue started to eat less and exercise more; he went from weighing in at 210 to weighing at an unhealthy 113 pounds.

Laue said, "You have these magazines where they're telling you this is the in thing. This is the in thing to wear. This is the way to look. This is the way to wear your hair. This is the way to get your six-pack abs. This is the way to get girls' attention. This is the way to be hunky and sexy.” “At what cost?" The media portrays this image that everyone should look like, and realistically it’s impossible.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=2536602&page=2

TOP MODEL BLAMES FAMILY FOR ANOREXIC VICTIMS

If a person were to become anorexic, who would be to blame? Top model, Gisele Bundchen, blames the families for women who have anorexic tendencies. “I never suffered from this problem (anorexia), because I had a very strong family base. Parents are responsible, not the fashion industry,” said Bundchen in the O Globo newspaper. Bundchen stands by the fashion industry, claiming there is no effect that would trigger a young woman to become anorexic. I would have to personally disagree with this ignorant belief of Bundchen, because no body is immune to having anorexia or bulimia. Whether you come from a good family, or an abusive one, you can still develop an eating disorder.

“Everybody knows that the norm in fashion is thin,” Bundchen said. “But excuse me, there are people born with the right genes for this profession.” Many models are genetically beautiful and skinny, that’s a given truth. However many woman in the modeling industry are greatly effected by eating disorders. If it gets to the point where a model is rail thin, and you could see her bones, that’s a clear cut sign for an unhealthy diet/eating habits.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16710684/

BRITISH DOCTORS BLAME THE MAGAZINES

British doctors blame women’s magazines for the increase in eating disorders amongst woman. They have made new studies that show that there is a connection between eating disorders and the imagery revealed in the media. The British Medical Association (BMA) blames the magazines and advertisement for the new increase in eating disorders among British woman. They also report that woman models are becoming thinner, and this is affecting the way a woman perceives the beauty of a woman. There is an estimation of 60 thousand people in Britain who suffer from unhealthy eating disorders. Doctor Vivienne Nathanson of the British Association wants to take action in changing the way woman feel about the perfect body. She believes the media has to drastically change so those women don’t have to feel pressured into dieting, or eating disorders. The BMA wants the magazines to portray a more realistic and healthier body image for woman of all ages. Editors and the London modeling agencies claim that by choosing skinnier, prettier models, they are providing a service for the customers. In my opinion, a change for magazines in what they showcase would be something positive for young woman of our day.

http://www.netlondon.com/news/2000-22/1D92B58AB5C60581802.html

ANOREXIA NERVOSA AND BULIMIA NERVOSA

Anorexia Nervosa and bulimia nervosa are widely known for affecting young woman. It is estimated that one in hundred girls and woman suffer from bulimia. Anorexia is less common amongst woman; it is estimated that one in every less than one thousand woman suffer from this disease.
Bulimia is known as the “binge and purge disease.” The symptoms include eating a lot of food at a time, forcing ones self to vomit, feelings of depression and low self-esteem, and the uncontrollable desire to continue suffering from bulimia. Anorexic sufferers differ from bulimics because they try to avoid food on a whole. Sufferers of these disorders have a false self image. They may feel over weight, but in reality they are the complete opposite. Sufferers of disorders try to control their weight by means of starving or vomiting. This is very unhealthy for ones mind and body.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=anorexia%20bulimia&btnG=Google+Search&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

http://www.psychology4all.com/EatingDisorders.htm

DEATH OF MODEL: MADRID BANS SIZE 0 GURLS

Many models have been known to go on diets to fit the model criteria. However, some models have taken it to the extreme. Luisel Ramos was known to have anorexia, and/or body weight issues. She would go as far as starving herself to appear like a more “attractive” model. Many designers love dressing long and lean models. In the fashion industry, there is a pressure to be the skinniest and the prettiest. Many models put their health in danger by experimenting with unhealthy ways of shedding pounds.

Luisel Ramos died after a catwalk show at the age of 22. She had been staving herself for days, which caused her to faint during her final costume change at the fashion show. After many efforts from the hospital staff, Luisel was pronounced dead. This death was a shock to many. How could a young 22 year old woman just collapse to her death? Her death sparked the ending of “size zero” models at the Madrid Fashion shows.

http://www.endi.com/XStatic/endi/images/espanol/modelos1art.jpg

http://eatingdisorders.suite101.com/blog.cfm/skinny_models_are_dying

Anorexia Kills Brazilian Model

Many models are affected by anorexia nervosa, a disorder characterized by a phobia of gaining weight and eating food. Models with anorexia are very fragile, and need intensive care. In Sao Paulo Brazil, Ana Carolina Reston, a 21 year old model who weighted 88 pounds had died from a common infection. According to the hospital that cared for Ana Carolina Reston, her anorexia nervosa caused the infection that ultimately cost Reston’s Life.

Reston started modeling at the tender age of 13. She was a natural beauty, who won a local beauty contest in her hometown of Jundiai, San Paulo, Brazil. Her battle with eating disorders was clear when she had returned from a modeling job in Japan. Reston’s mom Miriam had said, “She was too thin when she returned and when I told her to eat something, she would say: ‘Mom please don't fight with me; there is nothing wrong with me, I'm fine.’”

According to Reston’s cousin, Dani Grimaldi, told the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper that Reston also battled bulimia, another form of an eating disorder. Bulimia is an eating disorder in which one indulges in food, and afterwards vomits or uses laxatives to get rid of the food in their system.

At the time of Reston’s Death, she had a body mass index of 13.4, according to the calculations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These rail thin models are a clear cut sign of a desperate change that is needed in the modeling industry. A fashion show in Spain banned the use of models with a body mass index of less than 18. This was controversial because many people both sided and disagreed with this decision. Personally, I agree with Spain’s decision to ban really skinny models. This can save many lives; unfortunately it was too late for Reston’s Life. “Nothing can make the pain go away. No money in the world is worth the life of your child,” said Miriam.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/16/AR2006111601392.html

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Ana+carolina+Reston&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2

European Governments Taking Stand

Certain countries such as Spain are taking drastic measures to change the body image of models. In Madrid, Models with a body mass index lower than 18 are not allowed to walk down the runway. In banning such models, this showcases a more healthier role model for young girls.

Britain contrasts with Spain, in that they did not not join the band wagon of banning really skinny models. London's Fashion Week allowed very fragile looking models to walk down the runway, despite whatever influences it can have towards young teenage girls. The organizers claimed that in banning such models, they violated the rights of a designer's choice. Also, they said that its something that is not in their hands to control.

sources: http://eatingdisorders.suite101.com/article.cfm/anorexic_models

http://www.viciousstyle.com/fashionnews/bones.jpg (picture)