It's no surprise nowadays to hear about another starlet who has "magically" lost twenty pounds in what seemed to be less than a week. Magazines are flooded with pictures of the new, gaunt, "hot" bodies of Lindsay Lohan, Hilary Duff, and Nicole Richie. While these celebrities are often commended for their amazing ability to become a living pencil, many students say they think the trend to lose major weight is not something that should be shown in a positive light.
In fact, many University students expressed concern about the impact of celebrity images on everyday young women.
Third-year College student Michael Phillips is one of those students.
"The stars follow really unhealthy eating habits and other behaviors," Phillips said. "And while many girls do not base their decisions on what celebrities do, too many do look up to them."
Phillips explained many girls focus too much on the wrong features of a healthy and attractive person. In striving for perfection, girls can become obsessive with body image and see excessive weight or flab that may not actually be present.
Phillips said not only do rail-thin celebrities have a harmful impact on girls, the immediate social environment can be a source of damage as well.
"I think that the smaller the social group a person belongs to, the more likely they are to feel pressured to conform," Phillips said. "For example, I think high school creates a worse environment than most colleges for generating poor body images in most girls."
Of course, the original cause for the skinny movement is up for debate. While many students agree celebrities and social circles can play a great role in the problem, the personality of the individual person is important as well.
Second-year College student Kara Mason said while she agrees with Phillips' opinions, the problem is based on what you think of yourself as a person.
"I think that girls who originally have low self-esteem are more susceptible to conformity and following what they think others want them to be," Mason said. "Girls who do not have a strong sense of self will feel the need to be really thin."
Read More
Holding onto every grain in the hourglass
By Mai Hukuoka | 21 hours agoNow that I’m back at school, I have made it my mission to take note of the sneaky passage of time.
Students brave the cold for a whirlwind sorority rush
By Mia Tan | 2 days agoStudents recount a mix of emotions from rush, with some disappointed after dropping from the recruitment process and others ecstatic to join Greek life.
Top 10 ways to avoid burnout this semester
By Sam Saks | 4 days agoAs you settle into this semester, try implementing these 10 tactics to take care of yourself and wave goodbye to burnout.
