As I was placing my weekly necessities on the conveyor belt at Sweetbay one morning, I glanced at the magazines begging for my attention in front of me. Of course, I noticed the emaciated, indeterminate women on the covers and was forced to wonder, "Are these people even real?" Actually, with today's photo manipulation, they often are not.
I was especially bemused by the comments plastered over the magazines I looked at. One announced the breaking news of a celebrity who had gained 20 pounds. Unbelievable, I know.
It is often said that women are oppressed in certain foreign countries. Indeed, some foreign countries deny equality, basic rights and lifestyle options to women. This is an unfortunate reality.
What is not said is that women are also subjugated in American society. No longer are women domineered by a lack of voting rights or career options. Instead, their emotions are held hostage by something more personal: their body image.
The body image issues that plague Hollywood have spread throughout the country. The slender, interchangeable bodies that are force-fed through television, magazines and movies have become the desire of the typical American woman. Often, the desire becomes an unhealthy obsession. Recently, many actresses have spoken out against the media fascination with thinness - they are among the lucky ones who have escaped their consuming obsession.
The South Carolina Department of Mental Health estimates that 7 million American women suffer from an eating disorder. Of all mental illnesses, eating disorders are most fatal. College women are especially at risk. A study by Kalodner and Scarano found that 85 percent of college women believe they are overweight. Less than a third of them actually are. A study by Polivy and Herman found that the development of eating disorders appears to be influenced by sociocultural factors. Similar studies show that exposure to mass media is correlated with negative body image and eating disorders.
Eating disorders affect entire families. I am but one of millions who have witnessed a loved one fight through an eating disorder. Make no mistake, these eating disorders are personal mental health disorders.
Don't get me wrong; remaining fit is a vital part of a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle. Being skinny, however, is not necessarily healthy nor is it a reasonable health goal. It is simply the arbitrary, current demand society has placed on women.
This demand has transformed throughout history. In the past, some cultures viewed larger figures as most desirable in women. Skinny is nothing more than the new "pleasantly plump."
And here's a secret they might not tell you: You won't be any happier at a lighter weight than you are now. A 2001 study by Hoyt and Kogan found that underweight, normal weight and overweight women were all equally likely to be satisfied - or unsatisfied - with their weight.
Don't ditch the gym, though. It is good for your health. Thin, average or plump - it really doesn't matter. Your weight won't define your happiness. Your own body image is all that's important.
Abdul Zalikha is an microbiology junior at UF. His column appears on Thursdays.
