Body Image and Eating Disorders: Country Comparison

Body Image and Eating Disorders: Country Comparison Management of Personal Lifestyles Eating Disorders: USA vs. Singapore Yeo Zi Li Jodie Eating disorders are psychological conditions defined by abnormal and unhealthy eating habits involving insufficient or excessive food intakes that affect a person’s physical and mental health. People suffering from eating disorders are often preoccupied with their physique and weight. The main types of eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological illness whereby patients don’t â€Å"lose† interest in food but instead intentionally restrict their food intake because of the fear of being fat or gaining weight. A person with anorexia disorder may be underweight, but still has intense fear of putting on weight. They may purposely count calorie intakes for every meal to an excessive extent, over-exercising, use laxatives and other methods to get leaner. On the other hand, Bulimia Nervosa is binge eating on food and losing control over food intakes. It involves eating large amounts of food over a short amount of time. Feeling of guilt and shame will follow such binge, resulting in compensating actions such as self-inducing vomiting, over-exercising, not eating, and abusing diuretics, enemas or laxatives. Similar to many other psychological illnesses, Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa are complex, multi-layered disorders that arise from various psychological, mental and emotional concerns that vary with individuals. There are many issues that have been observed leading to eating disorders, but a more prominent reason is due to the ideal body image portrayed and promoted by media which contributes largely to eating disorders among youths. Eating disorders are so common in America, 1 or 2 out of every 100 students struggle with it (â€Å"Eating Disorders†). Figure 1: Seventeen Cover Page Source: Nina Figure 2: VS Love My Body Campaign Source: Parrott Figure 3: VS The Perfect Body Campaign Source: â€Å"Victoria† Statistics in America shows that the ideal body type portrayed in the media is possessed naturally only by 5% of American females. Report shows 47% of girls in 5th-12th grade wanting to lose weight after seeing magazine pictures, and 69% of girls in the same age group reporting that these magazine pictures influenced their idea of a perfect body shape (â€Å"Eating Disorders Statistics†). In America, beauty is portrayed as slim but with a great figure, as shown in Victoria’s Secret’s Campaign. However, media fails to portray that a size 10 can be equally hot as size 6 and beauty is not just about being thin. An Asian body structure is naturally petite as compared to a Western body structure; it is easier for Asians to reach the ideal body image portrayed by the media, which results in a higher rate of eating disorders in America as compared to Singapore. Eating disorders have been regarded particularly to Western society previously; however, they have now become a more global issue with a rising rate of eating disorders cases seen in Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan, Korea, and China (Chisuwa). The ideal body standard not only affects the West, it is increasingly seen in Singapore. In comparison of statistic between Singapore and America, Singapore shows a rough estimation that 80 thousand Singaporeans suffers from eating disorders out of a total population of four million, whereas in USA, 5 million people suffer from eating disorders out of a population of 293 million (â€Å"Statistics†). According to reports from the Singapore General Hospital, more teenagers as young as 13, are being treated at public hospitals for eating disorders. Figures show an increase from 65 cases in 2011, to 75 cases in 2012 and 95 cases in 2013 (Tan). Figure 4: SHAPE Magazine Singapore Source: â€Å"SHAPE† Figure 5: Her World Magazine Singapore Source: â€Å"Her† Similar how magazines in both Singapore and America portray â€Å"fit† with cover girls that are slim and the choice of words used in the front page. It influence consumers’ idea of beautiful being having the ideal shape, or body just like a magazine cover girl. In an interview I conducted with 50 physically fit looking teens and 50 working-class women, the top physical insecurities felt are feeling fat or chubby around their tummy, thighs and arm areas, others mentioned their body physique like having a smaller/larger chest, or too broad shoulders, or not being satisfied with their facial structure. Some commented on avoiding sleeveless tops, white shirts or wearing longer skirts or pants to hide their insecurities. They also talked about how they would try controlling their diets to â€Å"not gain weight† by limiting their food intakes or skipping meals occasionally. Some said the numbers on the weighing machine impacts their perception of how â€Å"fat† they are and they will eat lesser to maintain or achieve a certain targeted weight. When shown a magazine cover page (See Fig. 4), 70% of teens admitted on being envious of the figure and wanting to lose weight to achieve it, while the rest said that it is photo-shopped and i t doesn’t affect them. 40% of the working-class women desire that figure portrayed on the cover page and wants to achieve it, while the rest said it doesn’t appeal to them (See Fig. 6) Figure 6: Ideal Body based on cover girl survey chart In a pilot study conducted with 26 female medical students in Singapore, 58% reported feeling moderately or very fat, despite a mean Body Mass Index (BMI) of 18.7. An alarming figure of four out of the 10 with BMI below 18 reported feeling very fat. A study conducted with Singapore Chinese school girls with an average age of 16.5 years, 56% of them felt overweight even with a mean BMI of 18.89 (Ung). Asians have a smaller body structure and framework thus comparing to American, there’s a difference between the Body Mass Index (BMI). For Asians, a BMI that is 24 or higher is considered overweightand obesity, a BMI of 28 or higher (â€Å"Ethnic†). For Americans, a BMI between 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight and 30 or higher is considered to be obese (â€Å"Defining†). The idea of skinny-bony body structure being beautiful is often termed as â€Å"à ©Ã‚ ªÃ‚ ¨Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã… ¸Ãƒ §Ã‚ ¾Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬  (gu-gan-mei) in the Asian culture, whereby you can easily see a person’s bone structure – protruding collar-bones, hip bones. That’s the idea of beauty because it looks sexy. Both Asian and American have this idea of how sexiness and beauty looks like – that you have to be skinny to be pretty. Figure 7: Bony Asian Artiste Source: SinaFigure 8: Ideal bony structure Source: Pinterest Models must be of a certain body frame and below certain weight in order to be called models. A friend of mine, who’s recovering from Anorexia, was rejected from a clothing line modelling audition and told harshly that she’s â€Å"too fat†. When in fact, the judge could have easily told her that her body type is not what they are looking for, instead of using words like â€Å"too fat†, which seriously hurts a person’s self-esteem and digs into that insecurity furthermore. Not only women, men suffer from eating disorders too. However, they are less likely to seek medical treatment because of the perception that eating disorders are a â€Å"women disease†. In America, an estimation of 10% to 15% of people with eating disorders is male. In Singapore, about 20 per cent of people who seek help for eating disorders are males. A data analysis report shows that in between 2003 to 2012, there were 72 cases of men suffering from an eating disorder and seeking help at the Eating Disorders Clinic at Singapore General Hospital. The average age was 19.9 years (â€Å"The†). To conclude, even though majority of people suffering from eating disorders are women, there is an increasing rate of male patients as well. United States, in comparison with Singapore, have a larger amount of people developing eating disorders and media is a large medium for such influence on youths and adults. I can conclude from the interview that many are affected by the media’s portrayal of an ideal body, but American society being more liberal, are more exposed and marketed to such body ideals due to easy accessibility with public broadcast media like VS models runway shows and magazine cover pages. In comparison, Singapore has more censorship in the media. Works Cited Chisuwa, Naomi, and Jennifer A. ODea. Body Image and Eating Disorders amongst Japanese Adolescents. A Review of the Literature.Body Image and Eating Disorders amongst Japanese Adolescents. A Review of the Literature(n.d.): 6. Web. 17 Jan. 2015. Defining Overweight and Obesity.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2015. Digital image.Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. Digital image.Sina.com.cn. Sina Corporation, n.d. Web. Eating Disorders Statistics.National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015. Eating Disorders.KidsHealth. Ed. Michelle New. The Nemours Foundation, 01 Jan. 2011. Web. 17 Jan. 2015. Ethnic Differences in BMI and Disease Risk.Ethnic Differences in BMI and Disease Risk. Harvard School of Public Health, 20 Oct. 2012. Web. 17 Jan. 2015 Her World Singapore.Her World Singapore. Singapore Press Holdings, n.d. Web. â€Å"Nina Dobrev on the cover†.Digital Image. Seventeen. Hearst Communications, Inc., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2015. Parrott, Lauren. Real Beauty vs. Love My Body.Real Beauty vs. Love My Body. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2015. SHAPE Magazine Singapore.SHAPE Magazine Singapore. Singapore Press Holdings, n.d. Web. Statistics by Country for Eating Disorders.RightDiagnosis. HealthGrades, n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2015. Tan, Rachel. More Youngsters Diagnosed with Eating Disorders.The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings, 13 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Jan. 20015. The Men Do Get It: Eating Disorders In Males – An Asian Perspective.†Aseanjournalofpsychiatry.org. Asean Journal of Psychiatry, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. Ung, Eng Khean.Eating Disorder. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2015. Victorias Secret Perfect Body Campaign Sparks Backlash.New York Post. FOX News, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2015. 1

Somali Pirates and the Response of The United States Essay -- Piracy

To begin, pirates have been prowling the seas as far back as ancient times, such as the â€Å"Phoenicians and Greeks in the Mediterranean.† As well Muslim piracy as Jihad has existed since the 17th Century along the Barbary Coast of North Africa.2 These pirates were known as Barbary corsairs, and they would attack ships from Christian countries, seizing their ships and, and selling the sailors into slavery. Today, Somali pirates are seizing ships and taking hostages for ransom along the waters off the coast of Somali and the Gulf of Aden. The root of the Somali pirates was established then put into motion after the Somali Civil War and the fall of the Barre regime in 1991, the last functioning government.4 Along with the government, also went the countries one time functional coastguard, and thus the Somali waters became the site of a global "free for all," foreign fishing fleets illegally looted Somali fishing stocks and would keep the rudimentarily-equipped Somali fishermen from fishing their own waters, in addition Somali fishermen has accused Europeans of dumping toxic and nuclear waste off Somalia's shore. For these reasons the first pirate gangs materialize in the early 90’s to defend against foreign trawlers.4 Since 2005 these pirate gangs have grown and have been seizing ships holding them and their crews hostage for ransoms that range in the millions of dollars. The pirate assemblage is said to be made up of three different groups of people first, ex-fishermen who are the brains of the group, they kno w the sea, and how to operate the boats.5 Second, the ex-militiamen the muscle of the group, they have fought for the different clan warlords, and know how to use their weapons.5 Finally, the technical expert the computer g... ...PARTMENT OF THE NAVY - NAVAL HISTORY & HERITAGE COMMAND. September 28, 2009. http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/piracy_hornafrica.htm (accessed April 19, 2012). Samatar, Abdi Ismail. "Will the London conference change Somalia's future?" Al Jazeera. Febuary 07, 2012. http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/02/20122395853170145.html (accessed April 19, 2012). Tharoor, Ishaan. "How Somalia's Fishermen Became Pirates." TIME WORLD. April 18, 2009. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1892376,00.html (accessed April 19, 2012). "U.S. Jury Convicts 5 Somali Men in Pirate Attack on Navy Ship." FOX News Network. November 24, 2010. FOX News Network (accessed April 19, 2012). Zijlma, Anouk. "Somali Pirates A Guide to Somalia's Modern Day Pirates." About.com Africa Travel. http://goafrica.about.com/od/africanews/a/pirates.htm (accessed April 19, 2012).

All about Botox

Botox is the notable drug for the toxins generated by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. When taken in large amounts, the said toxin may be the cause of botulism which is closely related to food poisoning. Although paralysis is the most serious complication that may be brought about by botulism, scientists have formulated ways as to how the said toxin may be beneficiary for humans. The application of small concentration of the Botox, which is done through injection in specific muscled areas, controls the weakening of the muscles.This was approved in the latter part of 1980's by the FDA. The discovery of the Botox was found to be an aid for some ailments like the uncontrolled blinking, which is known as the blepharospasm and the lazy eye which is also called strabismus. It is also well documented that most cosmetologist has been using Botox for many years proving that it can successfully treat skin conditions like wrinkles and facial creases (â€Å"Skin Conditions: Botox Cosme tic Treatment,† 2008). The injection of Botox relaxes the facial muscles that form and cause wrinkles so that they appear less noticeable.However, Botox injection does not last long. The use of Botox among adults whose age ranges from 18 to 65 was approved by the Food and Drug Administration only that it should be used as a temporary treatment for cases of average to extreme frown lines found amidst the eyebrows, otherwise known as glabellar lines. In some cases Botox can also be employed as a treatment for other wrinkles found in the face, including the lines that extend from the eye corner known as crow's-feet and the forehead furrow.Also, aside from being a treatment for wrinkles, it was also found out that Botox are used for the treatment of other health conditions such as black eyes, headaches, problems of the eye muscle, spasms in the muscles, as well a condition called hyperhidrosis which is characterized by excessive sweating (Botox Injections, 2008). Botox works in a way that it serves as a blockage for the nerve signals going towards the muscles. This avoids the muscles injected with Botox to contract, which, in turn, softens and relaxes the wrinkles.The Botox procedure only takes a few minutes, and there is no anesthesia involved. A fine needle is used to inject the Botox in particular muscle areas with only little discomfort (â€Å"Skin Conditions: Botox Cosmetic Treatment,† 2008). The number of injections needed to be applied depends on various factors which may include the features of a person's face, the degree of the wrinkling, as well as the area that is being treated. Usually, the crow's feet condition is required to have at least two to three injections, while the forehead furrow may require at least five or more injections.The whole procedure takes full effect within three to seven days, and it does not call for any downtime, which means that the person who underwent a Botox treatment may immediately return his or her daily act ivities (Botox injection, 2008). One week prior to the treatment, a person who wishes to undergo Botox treatment is required to avoid alcohol, while medications such anti-inflammatory and aspirins are required to be stopped two weeks prior to the treatment period so as to reduce the bruising after the process.The Botox injection has effects that only last for four to six months. By the time the action in the muscles moderately returns, it is more likely that the wrinkles will re-appear as well and another treatment should be done. However, unlike the first occurrence of the lines and the wrinkles, by the time the effect of the Botox fades away, the appearance of the lines and the wrinkles become less severe because Botox trains the muscles to relax (â€Å"Skin Conditions: Botox Cosmetic Treatment,† 2008).After the Botox procedure, it is expected that a patient would have a headache, but the treated area should not be rubbed or massaged so as to avoid the migration of toxins i n other areas of the face. If the toxins migrate to another area of the face, this may result in temporary weakness of the face, or it its possible that the patient’s face may droop (Botox injection, 2008). It may seem that, after undergoing Botox treatment, the face appears good from a distance, especially for people who are advocates of beauty.However, it is still a medical fact that Botox is a poison, and it is a procedure that may be beneficial for one but dangerous for another (Williams, 2008). Although in practice, some of the fatal effects may be rare which are often attributed to the doctor's skills or to the specific area to be treated, the effects of Botox are not always positive. Hence, it is highly important to know its side effects before one accepts the treatment. The general effects of Botox are dizziness, skin rash, tiredness, muscles spasms, numbness, weakness all over, drowsiness, dryness of the mouth, stiffness, headache, and flu-like syndrome.For specific areas that were treated such as the eye area, there could be a drooping of the upper eyelid, drooping brow, mild inflammation of the eyes’ surface, difficulty in closing the eye, overflow of tears, dryness of the eye, and sensitivity to light. There are some cases that such effects may be encountered: eye surface inflammation, eversion or turning out of the eyelid, turning in or inversion of the eyelid, double vision, facial weakness, drooping of the face, and blurred vision.Effects such as swelling of the eyelids, development of ulcers on the eye surface, as well as glaucoma which is characterized with the increase of the eye pressure, are said to be the effects of Botox that are extremely rare (â€Å"Side Effects and Dangers of Botox,† 2006). Not all people are fit to undergo the Botox procedure. Because of the risks involved with Botox, the biggest problem that a person may have is that rather than looking beautiful and younger, as this is the goal of a person who w ishes to undergo the procedure, it is most likely that an individual may end up looking older (â€Å"Botox,† 2008).Also, some people cannot undergo the procedure due to their condition, especially pregnant patients, mothers who are breastfeeding, and people who are suffering from neurological diseases such as peripheral motor neuropathic disease or meuromuscular functional disorders (â€Å"Side Effects and Dangers of Botox,† 2006). However, it was reported that botulinum toxins are applied to some cases of cerebral palsy as a way to control the spasms of the limbs even though this kind of treatment was not authorized by the food and drug administration.Several investigations by the FDA was documented that the occurrence of several deaths which involve children who were treated for spasms of the leg and some cases of illnesses were accounted for the usage of Botox by the said people to aid certain conditions. It was also discovered that the use of the toxins for cosmeti c treatments may result in the spread of the drug to other areas of the body that may affect the muscles for breathing and swallowing. This may have serious implications which may be fatal (Keenan, 2008).In general, Botox may bring about certain effects that depend on the capability of the doctor who will perform the procedure and the person who will undergo the treatment. Botox may be beneficial for many, but it is still highly important to have knowledge on the underlying negative effects that are overshadowed by its benefit. Although there are rare reports on the fatalities brought by Botox procedure, it is still proven that botulism is to take the blame. This should be taken into consideration before engaging in the procedure.Furthermore, it is suggested that comprehensive studies should be made in order to clarify some points that were not discussed in the study, because the results that were framed in are limited in some areas. References Possible botox risks. (2008). Linkroll . Retrieved August 4, 2008 from http://www. linkroll. com/botox/possible-botox-risks. php. Botox injections. (2008). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved August 4, 2008 from http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/botox/MY00078 Keenan, S. (2008, February 9). The dangers of botox treatments. eNews 2. 0.Retrieved August 4, 2008 from http://www. enews20. com/news_The_Dangers_of_Botox_Treatments_05715. html Side effects & dangers of botox. (2006). Essential Botox Resources. Retrieved August 4, 2008 from http://essential-botox-resources. com/side. html Skin conditions: Botox cosmetic treatment. (2008). Web MD. Retrieved August 4, 2008 from http://www. webmd. com/skin-beauty/botox. Williams, Z. (2008, February 4). We all know that botox is stupid. Now it looks as if it can kill. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved August 4, 2008 from

Health Hazards of Barbecue Carcinogens

One of the best parts of summer, in my opinion, is barbecue. See that marshmallow? Its perfect. Brown all the way around, gooey all the way to the center. You know it will melt in your mouth. I didnt take the photo. Thats because my marshmallows inevitably burst into flame and end as cinders with cold, white centers. I imagine either type of toasted marshmallow contributes to your cancer risk. So does anything charred, like seared steak or hamburgers from the grill or even burnt toast. The carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) is mainly benzo[a]pyrene, though other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are present and can cause cancer, too. PAHs are in smoke from incomplete combustion, so if you can taste smoke on your food, expect it contains those chemicals. Most of the PAHs are associated with smoke or char, so you can scrape them off your food and reduce your risk from them (though that kind of defeats the point of a toasted marshmallow). HCAs, on the other hand, are produced by a chemical reaction between meat and high or prolonged heat. Youll find these chemicals in fried meat as well as barbecue. You cant cut or scrape away this class of carcinogens, but you can limit the amount that is produced by cooking your meat just until its done, not blackening it into oblivion. Just how dangerous are these chemicals? The truth is, its very hard to quantify the risk. There is no established this amount will cause cancer limit because the genetic damage that leads to cancer is complex and affected by many other factors. For example, if you drink alcohol with your char, you further increase your risk, since alcohol, though it doesnt cause cancer, acts as a promoter. This means it increases the likelihood a carcinogen will be able to induce cancer. Similarly, other foods may lessen your risk. What is known is that PAHs and HCAs definitively cause cancer in humans, but they are also a part of everyday life, so your body has mechanisms for detoxifying them. What you want to do is try to limit your exposure. I guess that means you should take the time to toast the perfect marshmallow rather than go for the quick sugary fireball, but thats just so hard... You can also try to  eat your greens to help cure cancer and learn about  the most poisonous chemicals.