Airbrushing Ban - impact on eating disorders?
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009The above link refers to an article published by the Daily Mail that discusses the call from 40 of the world’s leading experts on body image to ban airbrushing photos in advertising for under 16s.
The experts advise that airbrushing models to give them unrealistic bodies has helped to create “a generation of young women with eating disorders and depression”.
In response to the experts claims that such unnaturally skinny models can make ‘girls as young as five become self-conscious about their weight’ advertisers have suggested that what goes on at home (e.g. diet and parental influence) is more likely to influence young woman.
The Advertising Standards Authority has already received over a thousand complaints about airbrushed images, but so far has refused to act; stating that the complaints have no scientific foundation – in response four academics have completed a literature review of 100 academic studies suggesting that there is a scientific bases to the complaints.
What do you think – will banning airbrushed images have a significant impact on young people developing eating disorders?