Some Interesting Facts compiled by Liz Dittrich Interesting Facts In 1920, women attained the right to vote. This was also the first year of the Miss America Pageant. Thinness has not only come to represent attractiveness, but also has come to symbolize success, self-control and higher socioeconomic status. A study of 36,000 students in Minnesota found that girls with negative body image were three times more likely than similar boys to say that they feel badly about themselves and were more likely to believe that others see them in a negative light. The study also found that negative body image is associated with suicide risk for girls, not for boys.
Shame seems to be another component of women's attitudes toward their bodies.
The most recognized eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia is characterized by starvation dieting, excessive exercising, weight below what is considered normal, and an intense fear of weight gain. Bulimia is characterized by episodes of dieting and bingeing, as well as purging of the food from the body by vomiting or emetic use, as well as intense fear of weight gain, fear of fat. Women are more likely to suffer from depression and low self-esteem, accompanying body image dissatisfaction, then men. The American Anorexia and Bulimia Association states that 1000 American women die of anorexia each year.