Effects of Idealized Media Image Exposure on Eating Behavior and Appearance Anxiety

Alexandria C. Thompson, Saint Catherine University

Abstract

Research reveals that women often feel less attractive, less satisfied with their body shape, and more concerned with losing weight after exposure to media images of idealized fit and thin women. The present study examined whether the consequences of media exposure on women’s body image impacts their eating behavior. Under the guise of an advertisement study, 63 undergraduate women were randomly assigned to view ten media images of thin-ideal women, fit-ideal women, or control images of living rooms for ten minutes. They were simultaneously invited to help themselves to grapes, carrots, cookies, and potato chips. Afterwards, participants completed questionnaires pertaining to eating behavior, appearance anxiety, and media influence. There were no significant differences across conditions in age, BMI, and minutes since they last consumed food. We hypothesized that participants who viewed thin-ideal media images would eat more unhealthy snacks than those in the fit-ideal and control conditions, while those in the fit-ideal condition would eat more healthy snacks than those in the thin-ideal and control group. Statistical analyses found no significant differences in choice of food or quantity of food consumed across the three conditions. Thus, neither hypothesis was supported. We did find, however, that women in the fit-ideal and thin-ideal conditions reported significantly lower restrained eating than the control group, and the thin-ideal condition reported less physical appearance anxiety than the control group (p<05). The all-women, feminism-focused university where we conducted the study might explain these findings, as previous research suggests that media literacy interventions and feminist ideology may decrease the adverse impact of thin-ideal images.

 

Effects of Idealized Media Image Exposure on Eating Behavior and Appearance Anxiety

Research reveals that women often feel less attractive, less satisfied with their body shape, and more concerned with losing weight after exposure to media images of idealized fit and thin women. The present study examined whether the consequences of media exposure on women’s body image impacts their eating behavior. Under the guise of an advertisement study, 63 undergraduate women were randomly assigned to view ten media images of thin-ideal women, fit-ideal women, or control images of living rooms for ten minutes. They were simultaneously invited to help themselves to grapes, carrots, cookies, and potato chips. Afterwards, participants completed questionnaires pertaining to eating behavior, appearance anxiety, and media influence. There were no significant differences across conditions in age, BMI, and minutes since they last consumed food. We hypothesized that participants who viewed thin-ideal media images would eat more unhealthy snacks than those in the fit-ideal and control conditions, while those in the fit-ideal condition would eat more healthy snacks than those in the thin-ideal and control group. Statistical analyses found no significant differences in choice of food or quantity of food consumed across the three conditions. Thus, neither hypothesis was supported. We did find, however, that women in the fit-ideal and thin-ideal conditions reported significantly lower restrained eating than the control group, and the thin-ideal condition reported less physical appearance anxiety than the control group (p<05). The all-women, feminism-focused university where we conducted the study might explain these findings, as previous research suggests that media literacy interventions and feminist ideology may decrease the adverse impact of thin-ideal images.