Media messages and eating disorders: Taste and price of a message Cover Image

Media messages and eating disorders: Taste and price of a message
Media messages and eating disorders: Taste and price of a message

Author(s): Attila Forgács, Enikő Bóna, Tímea Csíkos, Helga Metercsik
Subject(s): Media studies
Published by: Akadémiai Kiadó
Keywords: eating disorders; glObesity; media; double bind; information technology

Summary/Abstract: Eating habits have become increasingly irrational in the last century; a variety of eating disorders have appeared. Obesity seems to be impossible to cure. Nowadays, the impact of media-marketing is the most powerful social influence on eating habits. Media has five main messages on eating and the body: 1. “Be thin!” 2. “Consume and eat!” 3. “Be afraid of food!” 4. “Food will disappear!” 5. “You are not feminine / masculine enough!” Most of these messages and directions are inconsistent with each other: e.g. “Buy and eat more, but remain thin!” The double-bind communication of media-marketing is pathogenic and schizoid. Food-related media messages are multi-layered and contradictory on many levels, so it would be more appropriate to talk about a multiple bind. The paper offers new communication strategies in order to manage the chaotic information on eating and to decrease the inconsistencies on the topic.

  • Issue Year: 40/2018
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 401-415
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: English