Is Barbie a dangerous role model?

A growing number of girls are now developing disordered eating behaviors during elementary and middle school. So we have to ask, what is encouraging pre-teens to question their body and turn to extreme dieting? There is certainly pressure from the media to be thin, but some of the girls presenting with anorexia nervosa are not at the stage where they read fashion publications and their parents still restrict TV viewing. For girls still playing with their dolls, some say Barbie might be the problem. 

While Barbie might seem like an innocent toy to some, when you consider how far removed her figure is from that of a real women, some mental health specialists are beginning to reconsider how potentially dangerous an influence she is on young female minds.

During the 1960s a version of Barbie controversially came with a set of scales and a weight loss guide. You can't buy this Barbie from the shelves any longer, but even if she doesn't come with the accessories that encourage weight loss, her figure certainly promotes that message. When you consider that the average woman could never achieve Barbie's figure, is it right that young girls are exposed to the idea that this is how women should look? The ultra thin models teens see on a weekly basis in magazines aren't much better, as most models are so underweight and they technically have anorexia. Impressionable young women view these fashion models as having the figure they need to attain, but they forget that the images they see in print are also adjusted by airbrushing, so they could never attain the same appearance even with highly restrictive eating habits. To minimize the risk of eating disorders through exposure to unrealistic female bodies, it is vital we raise awareness of how far from the norm these figures actually are.

Mr. Mike Kelly, the content editor at Steps to Recovery, an addiction treatment facility in Pennsylvania, and his colleague Amy, recently produced an article that discusses the near impossible body image that Barbie dolls represent. Their research article shares shocking statistics and insights of how the portrayal of a thin body image has devastating effects on young girls and women, and can sometimes lead to eating disorders. Very interesting indeed. They asked if I would be willing to share the article with you all, and due to the topic being near and dear to my heart, I wanted to pass it along.

If you have a few extra moments, you can check the article out here:

Starving yourself to achieve the impossible figure of Barbie

Some good food for thought. I would love to hear your thoughts and reactions. . . 

Have a great week!