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Body shape, publicity and anorexia nervosa

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Summary

Advertisements in Spanish women's magazines have been analysed in order to verify the impact of commercial advertising encouraging slimming. Directly or indirectly, 22.5% of advertisements encourage weight loss. Aesthetic rather than health motivations predominate. Advertising impact is mainly targeted at a female population in the 14 to 18 age group from upper and middle social class backgrounds living in towns over 50.000 inhabitants. This demographic coincidence with anorexia nervosa suggests that advertising may be thought of as a cultural environmental risk factor for this disorder.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department de Psiquiatria Facultat de Medicina Divisio de Ciencies dela Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, E-08036, Barcelona/Catalunya, Spain

    J. Toro, M. Cervera & P. Pérez

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  1. J. Toro
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  2. M. Cervera
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  3. P. Pérez
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Toro, J., Cervera, M. & Pérez, P. Body shape, publicity and anorexia nervosa. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 23, 132–136 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01788434

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01788434

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