Body image, the way a person sees their body and feels about it, is a concept developed over time, and may change depending on a range of factors including media images, attitudes of friends and family, and cultural traditions (Body). Looking back over this century we can see how body image has changed from the well-rounded, full figure, to the slim and even ultra-slim ideal portrayed today in fashions. We are constantly being bombarded with these images on the television, in the newspaper, in magazines, in fashion shows, in store windows, on billboard, in the movies, and now on the internet. These stereotypes constantly impress on us the ôidealö body type, which we subconsciously absorb and try to emulate. Athletes are not immune to these images, and they are also the targets of many of these ads in this fitness-conscious world. They are often the featured participant in ads.
Eating disorders are more prevalent among athletes than the non-athletic population of young women as they try to get the ideal boy image (Lans). Female athletes are more at risk for eating disorders because they have certain predisposing personal attributes that make them athletes - driving ambition to succeed, and ignoring pain while trying to reach a goal - attributes which can easily contribute to the development of eating disorders. Studies show that between 16 and 72 percent of female athletes suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia compared to 5 to 10 percent in the general population. A recent study by the WomenÆs Sports Foundation recently found that female athletes were less likely than non-athletes to describe themselves as overweight, but female athletes were more likely to try and lose weight (Research). Though they were more likely than non-athletes to use dieting and exercise to do so, highly involved female athletes were also more likely to use vomiting and/or laxatives to lose weight.
Sports can actually i...