It's true that being skinny doesn't guarantee you happiness or even satisfaction with your body. So many people from Kylie Minogue to those who have less money are injecting botox or having body construction in a sad attempt to look younger. And it's not only women who do this. Seen Burt Reynolds lately? Better yet, don't - it's quite pathetic.

The trouble is nobody can ever have a perfect body so long as we live in a society where getting older is regarded as an anathema, where people wish they looked younger but never want to look older.

We need to encourage a culture where people want to look healthier not "better" (whatever that is). And we need to create a world where people are happier getting and looking whatever age they are.

Is next week too soon?

Davidjs

Good point, instead of easing the pressure on women to look ever more youthful, because there is money to be made men are being pressured as well. Not that some men couldn’t take better care of their appearance, but as you rightly point out; looking healthy looks good and looks way better than silicon or surgery.

All of the botox, dermabrasion, skin creams and fad diets won’t slow aging. Our young people need role models who are real, not plastic, but while there are so many people prepared to part with their hard-earned, there will be the scavengers to promote the unattainable and relieve the gullible of their dollars.

If parents were not so laid back about the crap that these girls are fed through the TV, internet and magazines we would not have half the problems we do with self image. Everyday many allow our kids to be poisoned by Neighbours and like rubbish. At least the SBS is honest in its attempt to promote porn and other type rubbish.

Ah, yes runner. I'm curious as to what is acceptable programming. Clearly not the left wing guff at the ABC, nor the multicultural 'porno propaganda' at SBS.
With shows as tame as Neighbours out, I guess we're just left with wall to wall episodes of the brady bunch and maybe a few documentaries on how evil abortion is.
Oh yes, I'm assuming there'll be an allowance for the 'hour of power' christian programs that take place on air.
You'll have to excuse me if I disagree with this outcome.

In relation to the article... well, it's hard to disagree with it, though there doesn't seem to be much acknowledgement that obesity is a major health concern.
Yes, I understand that shows like the biggest loser do promote this unhealthy weight loss ideal, but there also does need to be acknowledgement that obesity is killing Australians every day and whilst kids certainly shouldn't adopt any of these fad diets, I'd be a bit concerned if the message became that obesity is okay - it's not. It causes all kinds of health problems, but overall I suppose there is already sufficient pressure from society to be thin, and I guess we don't need to add to that.

At the end of the day I guess it comes back to exercise and proper eating. It's not a quick fix and it's hard to do every day, but I guess that's why people are so keen to try and find other solutions.

I think we are all to blame. The more people consume the trash mags and watch trash TV the more the distorted the focus on body image becomes- perhaps I'm just entering grummpy old man age but the level of crap that is the commercial media is just horrific. Kids are drenched in a culture that uses images mainly of women but increasingly of men to sell everything from clothes, to cars to beer to TV sitcoms. I think the only response is a educating kids with a cynical view of the media that attempts to manipulate our fears and if this results in a more cynical child/young adult then this is the price we pay. The only response is education where we shine some light on the cynical industry that is the commercial media and hopefully give kids the insight they need to recognise its manipulation.

Dying to Fit In - Literally!
By Christine Hartline, MA, Director, Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center, www.EDReferral.com
Where did we learn that our self worth is measured by external factors - by numbers on a scale? The answer lies in constant, subtle attacks on our bodies. These attacks wear us down, shake our confidence and esteem. We lose our sense of individuality and self, and fall victim to narrow definitions of beauty defined by the media. It is a subtle, continuous bombardment of images of beauty, images defined by profiteers, images that are not real, not authentic, and not attainable. The impact that these images have on women is profound. The financial, social and psychological and physical damages of a woman's lifetime pursuit of thinness are impossible to measure. Depression, despair, depletion of self-esteem, the withering and wasting away of physical, psychological and financial resources are unbelievable. How can we begin to make changes? Vow that you will not longer fall victim to these images and help those around you to the road of self-love and acceptance. Advocate for freedom from body hatred and fight the billion dollar advertising, cosmetic, diet, entertainment and fashion industries -- let's stand up for ourselves, our values, our bodies, our lives. We must challenge ourselves, our culture and our children. The stakes are too high to back down. Lives are lost each year as beautiful, healthy young women starve themselves to death. Millions of us are suffering from depression and anxiety as we are bombarded with images of our "faults." It is time to change, change begins from within and radiates out-- let's begin

Well said DavidJS. Difficult isn't it on just how to change a deeply ingrained mindset and culture. Some cultures respect and revere old age and others dismiss it. How do we go about promoting inner beauty and healthy bodies as opposed to the unobtainable?

Manipulation by the media and the companies that use the media for advertising are to blame. But not only them, yes the consumer can choose not to buy the trash but as parents how are we to encourage our children not to buy into the myths of the perfect body syndrome when it pervades every part of our society.

You even have ambiguity and mixed messages in the media. One minute you can watch a program about illnesses like anorexia and the dangers of the 'perfect body myth' on one hand, and in the next breath there is an unflattering photo of some poor celebrity who has put on a smidgeon of weight with some nasty caption written underneath. Mixed messages.

Hyprocrisy for the sake of a bit of gossip but one thing we can do as consumers is not buy this guff.