Action+Plan

The source of this problem is the media. So many images are thrown at both men and women, and these images deeply affect the mental, and eventually, physical health of young people in the world. The media needs to cease showing fake people (mostly women). We cannot define "pretty" as very photoshopped and edited to be "perfect". Nobody is really that beautiful. The modern media is making young girls and boys see what they'll think is real "beauty" and that will make them aspire to look that way, too. However, this is impossible, because these people on magazines and in movies themselves are not real.

Also, we must be more supportive of each other. This is a more realistic goal. If both men and women, boys and girls, and all teenagers, especially, were to support each other -- no teasing about body weights, faces, or the like -- then individuals wouldn't have as much of an incentive to turn to eating disorders.

Another way to stop eating disorders, is to raise awareness of them. I we educate young people and adults to know what an eating disorder is, then we won't have to deal with this horrible problem. Kids will know what Bulimia Nervosa is, and they won't do that to themselves. somethingfishy.org, is dedicated to educating people about eating disorders and making it so that these atrocities don't happen.

For our presentation...

We will open with a questionaire about eating disorders. Classmates can raise their hands if they feel like it, or they can just think to themseleves. Questions may include the following...

Have you ever skipped a meal or ate less because you think that it would make you thinner?

Do you think people would like or respect you more if you were thinner?

Are you self-conscious when you're eating, afraid that people will think you will have eaten too much?

Do you ever exercise excessively?

"These are questions doctors and phycologists ask their patients when determining if they have an eating disorder. You (especially the girls) may have answered 'yes' to one or more of these questions. We're not implying that any of you have or will develop an eating disorder, but answering 'yes' to some of these question shows an early sign of the idea of an eating disorder. You all are at a prime age for developing an eating disorder -- 17 is the average age of onset."

"Our goal -- what should be done to reduce the eating disorders and their issues -- is to educate teenagers about the subject. Not only do girls need to know (even though 90% of people with an eating disorder are female), but the guys, as well. Men need to support women with their natural beauty, because, as we've said before, 'women watch men watching women.'"

"Here are two images of women."

**show an athlete and a model**

"which is more likely to have an eating disorder?"

"Pretty obvious, right? That's because women who participate in athletics -- not necessarily up to the level of Dara Torres -- are respected and confident in their abilities, not their image."

"If you were to google 'fashion magazine cover' this is what you'd find."

**show a screen shot of this google search**

The main problem is the media.......

Powerpoint and videos...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP31r70_QNM&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovpd5O6M8tQ&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei6JvK0W60I&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTQpMIUC-78&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94c43AlwLKo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zuDNSzO3zA