Introductory discussion: (beginning of chapter)

• The purpose of the Whet Your Appetite and Amuse Bouche sections are to draw attention the pervasiveness of the “thin ideal” in Western media.
• While showing images from media and advertising that push the thinness imperative, be cautious about introducing these images to the class.
  • Be sure to see the resources on the Chapter 11 Introductory Discussion as well.
  • Also review the research of Tracy Mann cited at the end of Chapter 12.
• Rather, discussion of recent regulations of the fashion industry provides fruitful material for discussion.
  • Note this debate is not new, and has occurred in some settings since the beginning of the 20^th century
    • https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/jan/16/-sp-are-models-too-skinny-the-debate-fashion-has-been-having-since-1900
  • Record and Austin (2016) published a call to regulate the fashion industry in the American Journal of Public Health
    • doi: 2105/AJPH.2015.302950
    • NPR coverage: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/12/22/460682633/is-it-time-to-set-weight-minimums-for-the-fashion-industry
  • Several countries have introduced or enacted regulation to the ban extremely thin workers from the fashion industry (France, Italy, Spain, Isreal) – students could look into the details of this legislation and the potential impacts.
• To conclude the discussion, ask students to consider whether regulating the fashion industry is sufficient to address the role for social norms to induce disordered eating, or whether additional steps are necessary.

Chapter 12 Learning Objectives 

• Define eating disorders:
  • Differentiate anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder
  • Contrast disordered eating and clinical eating disorders
• Apply the biopsychosocial perspective to the etiology of disordered eating:
  • Identify social, cultural, and contextual contributions to eating disorder symptoms
  • Analyze psychobiological contributors
• Compare treatment approaches for eating disorders:
  • Explain the role of psychotherapy in eating disorder treatment
  • Contrast various prevention techniques for disordered eating
  • Critique portrayals of body image and eating disorders in media and entertainment to evaluate their role in disordered eating.

Activities 

Standards for Appearance and Beauty Across Culture and Context

The Dangers of “Thinspiration”

Resilience and Self-image

Drunkorexia 

Cachexia

Disordered Eating

Portrayals of Binge Eating

Comic Relief or Comic Belittling?