THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 4, 1996 TAG: 9602030005
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 29 lines
As a teen in today's society, it concerns me more and more each day to see the effects of media and music and the emphasis they place on extreme weight loss.
Why do we, as a community, persuade our children - our future - to be dangerously thin?
Diseases such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, with an approximate 10 percent fatality rate, are formed by this intense pressure.
Lyrics to songs such as the popular ``Supermodel'' are a core part of the problem: ``I didn't eat yesterday, I'm not going to eat today, I'm not going to eat tomorrow, I'm gonna be a supermodel.'' This is a common example of the pressure placed on adolescents, especially girls, to be slim and beautiful. Seeing my peers use this advice is even more depressing.
The media and the music industry need to stop projecting this detrimental image.
JULIA SALASKY
Norfolk, Jan. 20, 1996 by CNB