Advertisements Lead Eating Disorders

Thursday, February 25, 2010, 15:47

Psychiatrists are asking for a ban be put on the "damaging portrayal" of eating disorders in advertisements.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists'' Eating Disorders Section is raising its voice against the promotion of unhealthy underweight models in magazines and on television.

Experts fear that theis practice is leading children on "glamorising" eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

"Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses. Although biological and genetic factors play an important role in the development of these disorders, psychological and social factors are also significant," says Dr Adrienne Key, consultant psychiatrist at the RCPsych.

It has been proven in by many researches that media plays a part in the development of eating disorder symptoms particularly in adolescents.

Susan Ringwood, chief executive of beat, the eating disorders charity organization, also agrees: "The media is a powerful influence and we know how vulnerable some people at risk of eating disorders can be to its visual images in particular.