The media's influence on body image disturbance and eating disorders: We've reviled them, now can we rehabilitate them?

Survey, correlational, randomized control, and covariance structure modelin g investigations indicate that the media are a significant factor in the de velopment and maintenance of eating and shape-related disorders. One specif ic individual difference variable, internalization of societal pressures re garding prevailing standards of attractiveness, appears to moderate or even mediate the media's effects on women's body satisfaction and eating dysfun ction. Problematic media messages inherent in existing media portrayals of eating disorders are apparent, leaning researchers to pinpoint intervention strategies that might counteract such viewpoints. Social activism and soci al marketing approaches are suggested as methods for fighting negative medi a messages. The media itself is one potential vehicle for communicating pro ductive, accurate, and deglamorized messages about eating and shape-related disorders.