Here is a great article from
www.telegraph.co.uk about airbrushed images of models in magazines:
Calling for advertising rules to be changed to restrict the use of airbrushed images, the group of 44 academics doctors and psychologists say that the pictures promote unrealistic expectations of perfection, encouraging eating disorders and self-harm. The paper has been submitted to the Advertising Standards Agency with a call for all airbrushed adverts to carry a notice making clear the images have been artificially enhanced. It has been written by Dr Helga Dittmar of the University of Sussex, Dr Emma Halliwell of the University of the West of England and backed by 42 more academics. The experts write: “Media images that depict ultra-thin, digitally altered women models are linked to body dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating in girls and women.”
Among the problems that can arise include “unhealthy dieting regimes and problematic eating behaviours (starving, bingeing, and purging), clinical eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia), cosmetic surgery and extreme exercising.” The paper has been organised by the Liberal Democrats as part of their campaign against the use of airbrushed or retouched images in advertisements. The Lib Dem campaign is adding to the pressure on the fashion and advertising industries over airbrushing. Several “extreme” examples of airbrushing have recently been the subject of internet campaigns of criticism. Last month a photograph of a Ralph Lauren model looking so thin that her waist and hips were smaller than her head was targeted by online campaigners. The paper says that boys can also be harmed by altered images. Pictures that exaggerate models’ muscle development and definition can encourage “unhealthy muscle-enhancing behaviours” such as taking steroids or other supplements).
Boys and men can also suffer depression, anxiety, sexual dissatisfaction, and low self-esteem, the experts say. Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem MP behind the campaign, has persuaded almost 1,000 people to complain to the ASA about airbrushing. The agency has told her that the current rules on adverts do not allow the ASA to insist that every ad that has been retouched includes a disclaimer about that alternation. However, the ASA has indicated that it could change those rules if it sees evidence that airbrushing is clearly harmful. Miss Swinson said she hoped the research paper would persuade the watchdog to change the rules. She said: “This paper spells out the real damage irresponsible airbrushing is doing to young women’s physical and mental health. “Airbrushing means that women and young girls are being bombarded with images of people with perfect skin, perfect hair and perfect figures which are impossible to live up to.”
The Lib Dems have also called for a ban on the airbrushing of people in advertising aimed at under 16s. The party also wants cosmetic surgery advertisements and information leaflets to carry success rates. Schools would be encouraged to offer exercise options more likely to appeal to teenage girls, such as dance, yoga and aerobics, and headteachers asked to ensure changing rooms are clean and well equipped, to stop high drop out rates from PE classes. And gyms should offer discounted membership to children, the Lib Dems say.
