Assignment: Adolescent Eating Disorders

In March 2012, Israel became the first country to create legislation defining minimum weights for fashion models. It also mandated written disclosures on altered images to make models look thinner. Now, when models appear at a shoot, they have to show a medical report that is no more than three months old and discloses their body mass index (BMI). If a model’s BMI is below 18.5, which is considered malnourished by the World Health Organization (WHO), then he or she will not be able to participate in the shoot. Lawmakers placed standards on the fashion industry because they believed the industry promoted an unrealistic perception of ideal weight and body image, especially in the eyes of young women. Approximately 2% of females in Israel ages 14–18 suffer from an eating disorder and this statistic is similar around the world for developing countries. Supporters of the legislation hope that the law will increase the use of healthier, more realistic models, as well as raise awareness about the digital techniques used to enhance male and female models (New Israeli law, 2012). Many have blamed the fashion, television, and film industries for promoting unrealistic body images and for their impact on children and adolescents. As a health psychology professional, you should keep informed of ongoing trends and legislation related to children and adolescent health. Consider how you might address the issue of eating disorders in an age-appropriate presentation for adolescents.

Submit your Assignment by Day 7. For this Assignment, imagine that the local high school hires you as a consultant to give a presentation on eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, and a binge-eating disorder). Think about pertinent age-appropriate information that you may want to use in your presentation. Do not use the example of Israel’s legislation provided above.

This assignment may be used as the foundation for your comprehensive program due in Week 10. Please review the Week 10 Assignment for details. Please use your creativity while developing your assignment. You may use the templates provided for your assignment or you may create your own. Please keep all of your notes in the notes section.

The Assignment (8–10 PowerPoint slides)

• Create an age-appropriate PowerPoint Presentation for Grades 9–12.
• Include a title slide.
• Explain the three eating disorders in terms the students will understand.
• Differentiate between anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and a binge-eating disorder.
• Explain the risk factors for each eating disorder, including media influence and peer pressure.
• Provide the students with a scenario for each eating disorder.
• Submit a separate APA Reference document.

Support your assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are to provide a reference list for all resources, including those in the Learning Resources for this course.