Social media and the development of eating disorders among young women. Beauty ideals on Facebook and Instagram (PDF)

Document from the year 2020 in the subject Sociology - Relationships and Family, , language: English, abstract: Social media such as Facebook or Instagram have become an integral part of our society. For teenagers and young adults in particular, they are an integral part of everyday life. However, social media is no longer just about exchanging information with social contacts. The platforms also serve to present oneself and form opinions about body ideals.

It is not uncommon for these ideals of beauty to contribute to distorted body perception and a negative body self-image. As Jacqueline Ammer shows in her publication, young women in particular try to live up to ideals and as a result develop eating disorders. But is this development really related to social networks?

Ammer deals with the influence of Facebook and Instagram on the eating behavior of young women aged 15 to 25. Basically, significantly more young women than men suffer from eating disorders, especially between the ages of 15 and 24. In her book, Jacqueline Ammer makes it clear how closely the ideal female body is linked to slimness.

From the content:
- obsession with thinness;
- diet;
- mental health;
- self-awareness;
- self-esteem