Survival of the Thinnest by Glivery Gayahan

It all started with Eve. All she wanted to do was eat an apple and what happens? She gets kicked out of the Garden of Eden. It’s such a shame that the world viewed Eve’s sin as losing grace. To make matters worse, during the Renaissance the word “grace” described “beautiful” women.[i] Along came graceful Barbie the “ideal beautiful” woman. She gave all the little girls (and boys) something to dream about. Fast forward to the present. Images of perfection fill television, magazines, and even advertisements. Images that force average young adults, who make up the majority, to question the way they look. Does this make me look fat? I could spare to loose a few pounds, 50 if I’m lucky? Such thoughts consume the minds of millions. And it’s not just the girls; remember Adam got kicked out too. Plus what little girl didn’t think, Ken’s so dreamy? Ever since the dawn of time, it seems society has punished those who just want to eat. Kudos to society for consequently spawning the emaciation fad. So we need a drastic solution in order to reverse humanity’s negative body image crimes.

Studies show there is alarming trend in extreme thinness due to starvation amongst high school to college students. In schools around America, teens are obsessing over perfecting their physical bodies. Students are dropping their books in the hopes of dropping something else- pounds. To be a part of the “In Crowd” they have to look the part right? In a study done by Denise Sloan, female college student participants from Florida and Pennsylvania completed a series of eating disorder questionnaires. Then the researchers measured and compared the girls’ body masses. The results? Brace yourselves folks, because what we are about to reveal is striking. Girls in warmer climates are at more risk when it comes to developing eating disorders. They also weigh less than girls who live in colder climates. Compare this to animals, where animals who live in colder climate need more body mass to keep warm. Who would have ever thought? The surveys also revealed that Florida girls care more about body image than Pennsylvania girls. So, Sloan concluded that, “The greater distortion of body image may result from the need to wear more revealing clothing.” In other words, body image anxiety increases during warm weather. Of course, since we all have to fit into that bathing suit. Those who live in seasonal climates only have to worry during the summer. But, for the poor souls dwelling in warmer weather, focus and concern about body image is year-round.

Like killing a pesky weed, the only way we can find a solution to this ongoing problem is to attack the root. Since Florida is the land of beautiful beaches and equally beautiful beach Barbies and Kens, it would be the most promising state to begin therapy. With Florida reformed, it will be easier for other states to follow ‘suit’, so to speak. The only way we as a community can stop eating disorders from infiltrating the minds of our children is to start shaping them when they are young. Parents need to encourage healthy eating habits. Studies show that many factors including appetite, food availability, family, peer, and cultural practices control eating. Let’s look at the Florida school lunch program. (We need to look at the whole Florida school system altogether, but that’s a different article.)

Imagine this scene; in the cafeteria an extraordinary number of students wait in line to receive their balanced, nutritious, affordable, and stylish lunch. One would think they were waiting in line for a sold-out ‘N Sync concert. No horse playing happens while waiting in line, instead all are patient and quiet. Looks of eagerness plaster their faces. If buying cafeteria food becomes the latest craze and all the popular (i.e. cheerleaders, football players, etc.) kids are doing it, then we might have a chance to change the minds of all the children. Who knows, maybe within a few weeks actually going to class will be the latest fad? We’ve searched for a company all over the world to design a lunch menu and there was one standout business, called [INSERT WITTY NAME HERE]. They calculated a specialized lunch menu designed to achieve physical fitness. To provide a healthy meal for students, a careful assessment of food is performed on each thoroughly sterilized tray. Instead of filling the tray with meals full of harmful mystery meat fats and excess macaroni and cheese carbohydrates, portions of food are miniaturized. Each French fry, chicken nugget, and carrot stick is counted in order to help students maintain a perfect, slim beach-worthy figure (without having to discretely use the bathroom afterwards). When worry disappears along with calories, so does the need to resort to bulimia and anorexia.

To attract students to purchase the food, our expert chefs not only considered people want to eat healthy, but also have their own food preferences and tastes. The menu is designed to appeal to all students and a simple solution to this crisis is guaranteeing that the food is tasteless. Besides, any dish that tastes so good can only mean one thing: completely unhealthy. Keep that in mind, folks, taste equals unwanted fat. Each sandwich, Sloppy Joe, and corn dog is blissfully free of seasoning, salt, or butter. This will tempt children who are picky about taste. Take the kid who refuses to eat anything with onions. If we eliminate all onion spices from the menu, the kid has no other choice. Since the food is completely bland it can’t taste bad, right? Not only will the food be unseasoned, but sweet sugary enjoyable foods will be taken of the menu as well. This measure ensures decreased hyperactivity among the younger children, guaranteeing more focus during class time. Sorry kids, no more sweet tea. What about the children who are picky about food appearance, you ask? Well, if the chefs mash the food up into a uniform pulp, similar to mash potatoes, then there will be no complaints about how the food looks “weird.”

Not only must food be nutritious, but safe as well. Some eatables scream danger. For instance, crispy, crunchy, and fried foods are caustic substances to the mouth. Overindulging in these foods corrodes teeth by gradually wearing away tooth enamel. If children can’t run with scissors, how can we expect them to eat sharp food? We’ve heard vivid accounts of children losing their eyes in food fights gone wrong. Let’s can prevent these effects by assuring that all food is soggy and easily dissolvable by the saliva without having to chew as much. Which has another bonus; soggy food can also prevent choking. This brings me, naturally, to the destructive effects of heat. Hot food creates second-degree burns that scar the tissue of the mouth, leading to infection or permanent muteness (but this could be a good thing). To avoid harm, the food must not be hazardously tepid. Great lengths must be taken to ensure that the food is cool, better yet, icy. This will attract the teenagers, leading to approval that the food is “pretty cool.” [INSERT WITTY NAME]’s menu is teenager tested and teenager approved. Students will no longer be concerned with lunch and can instead focus on more important things; for instance, their hunger for knowledge.

Sure everyone's picky about food, third degree burns, and cheek lacerations, but there are some even more serious issues our food program can address when it comes to Florida school lunches. One French Proverb says, one must suffer to be beautiful. What exactly constitutes an eating disorder? Have you ever felt like you needed to loose more than a couple of pounds? Or do you always think you need to loose a few? Are you constantly obsessed with the way you look? Have you resorted to extreme measures to reach your desired state? Have you reduced to food intake to dangerously low levels that even birds can’t survive on what you eat?[ii] Then you, my friend, have an eating disorder. Consider these two extreme scenarios:

Sitting at the lunch table, Judy meticulously breaks her food into smaller pieces. When no one is looking, she spits what she’s chewed into a napkin carefully hidden in her hand. At home hiding her food is easier; she casually drops it on the floor for the family dog to eat. When dining with other people, the food just gets shoved around on the plate. If they question her, the popular excuse is “I didn’t like the way it tasted.” With [INSERT WITTY NAME], that excuse can no longer be used. Problem solved! If Judy is picky about taste, as you may recall, the menu will certainly appeal to her. Say goodbye to spitting out food on hidden napkins.

Now, 15-year-old Judy, let’s say she attends South Miami Middle School, was 5 feet 4 inches, weighing at 105 pounds. Until one day while reading a popular fashion magazine, Invisible Girl, she decided to loose a couple pounds in order to find a boyfriend. Eat your heart out boys, I’m gonna look so good. She launched a dietary program that reduced her food to green vegetables, water, and the occasional rice cake for dessert. Even though she lost some weight she still wasn’t satisfied, so she added a vigorous exercise program. Soon Judy weighed a mere 75 pounds, but she still saw herself in the mirror as “fat”, so the strict dieting program and food hiding continues. The clothes that once hugged her body tightly, now hang loosely around her gaunt frame. Judy refuses to seek treatment despite her family’s concern. Nothing is wrong with me!

In another scenario, a senior at Miami Beach High, 17-year-old Kim, at 5 feet 9 inches, weighs-in at 150 pounds, but in her mind she has always felt a little chubby. People constantly tell her that she looks just fine, but Kim is not a believer. Feeling guilty for not sticking to her diet, she drives to McDonald’s. Incredibly hungry from dieting the last couple of weeks, she decides to splurge a little. When she orders three super-sized Big Mac meals to go, the employee assumes that she is just buying lunch for her and her friends. Little does he know, Kim intends to devour all that food, all by herself. Luckily, there can be no more pigging out for Kim. [INSERT WITTY NAME] can help her avoid straying from her diet with its scientifically calculated menu.

But without this special diet program, Kim has more important things on her mind. The car is a safe haven for Kim, she can drive to any fast food restaurant and gorge in the car without anyone seeing. She takes a heavenly bite of one crispy deep-fried French fry and almost cuts her cheek. “Man these things should come with a warning label,” she thinks to herself. Well, well, well with [INSERT WITTY NAME]’s specially designed menu, there will be no more harm due to sharp food. And don’t forget, students can eat as fast as they want without worry about burning the roof of their mouths either. But, after shoveling Big Mac after Big Mac and gobbling French fries between each bite, Kim now craves something sweet. The next stop is the local gas station, where she buys a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Kim rushes back to her car and inhales the entire box. What have I done? I can’t believe I ate all of that. I feel so disgusted and ashamed. She flees back to the gas station and demands the bathroom key. Because she knows, by heart, all of the gas stations in town with the single stalls. Once inside, she immediately sticks her finger down her throat and lets it all out. I feel so much better now. I can’t gain weight if I get rid of the food I just ate right? My throat kind of hurts though, and why are my teeth getting so stained and yellow? The vomiting is Kim’s secret and she finds ways to hide it from her family. In her room, is an airtight Rubbermaid container filled to the brim with throw-up, because if she vomits in the bathroom, someone might hear.

All humor aside, of course, these are two commonly known eating disorders. Judy has anorexia nervosa (self-starvation) and Kim has bulimia (binge/purge syndrome).[iii] Judy’s condition is a disorder where people drop dangerously below normal weight, but still feel “fat.” People with anorexia are obsessed with losing weight. Even when they are dangerously thin, they continue to reduce their food intake. Soon anorexia patients have difficulty sleeping, go through depression episodes, and stop having regular menstrual periods. Sometimes girls who develop anorexia are influenced by their mother’s obsession with weight control.[iv] Wasn’t Eve considered the mother of mankind? It’s just a vicious cycle, doomed to repeat unless [INSERT WITTY NAME] has a say in it. People with anorexia usually qualify as being perfectionists, fear confrontations, extremely dependent, and constantly seek approval from peers.[v] Kim’s condition is more common. Bulimia is characterized by overeating followed by vomiting, laxative use, or fasting to make up for eating so much. Depression and shame often follow binges causing the purge. Because of the constant vomiting – which is basically stomach acid, people with bulimia burn their esophagus and ruin their teeth. Bulimia patients, like anorexics, are preoccupied with food and are extremely fearful of becoming overweight. But unlike anorexia, bulimics have weight fluctuations within or above normal ranges, making the conditions easy to hide.[vi] Bulimics are usually known for their secretive behavior, negative thoughts about themselves, have difficulty controlling impulses, cannot stand being alone, and demand constant attention.[vii] According to Naomi Wolf, author of The Beauty Myth, “Hunger makes women’s bodies hurt them, and makes women hurt their bodies” (218).

This is why now, more than ever, we need to have new diet options. Who says a girl has to be paper-thin but abnormally well endowed like Barbie? As Dave Barry, writer for the Miami Herald, adequately put it, “Why do women have such low self-esteem? There are many complex psychological and societal reasons, by which I mean Barbie.” It’s amazing how we learn to fear being overweight at such a young age because of this so-called “ideal beautiful” woman. A cultural explanation can also account for the high frequency of eating disorders among more weight conscious societies. Many reasons why [INSERT WITTY NAME]’s lunch plan should be effective immediately. Beauty ideals are constantly changing, leading us to struggle to meet those standards.[viii] Our culture is weight-obsessed! How could this “little” doll have such a great affect on the way people generate body image? Maybe Barbie is so skinny because dolls do not need to eat. The executives at [INSERT WITTY NAME] have proposed a plan in which Barbie is the face of the “Florida School Lunch Reform Project.”

Let’s face it, Barbie needs a new positive image and the job of spokesperson for the project is just how to get it. Not only will this benefit Florida schools, but the whole state as well. Just think of all the revenue merchandising and advertising will bring in! If new Barbie dolls are made to showcase healthy eating with the proposed soggy tasteless menu, it equals a surefire hit. Visions of Barbie holding a tray with carefully counted carrot sticks, soggy baloney sandwiches, and a single slice of orange for dessert is coming to a Toys ‘R Us near you. Beach Barbie and Save the Manatees Barbie will no longer have to worry about gaining weight with a tasteless, cold, and carefully calorie-counted diet. Ken’s favorite new snack before football practice is a bowl of bland grits, because he needs those carbohydrates for fuel. If the children are just given more positive role models, they will more likely take on healthy eating habits. Who else can kids look up to now-a-days? Who better to portray the effects of healthy eating than Calista Flockhart from Ally McBeal or Lara Flynn Boyle? Both have the potential to be future spokes models for safe and healthy eating because even they “out-thin” Barbie.

Body ideals vary across cultures though, for example David Meyers states, “in Africa where poverty, AIDS, and hunger mean thinness, prosperity means being plump-bigger is better.” Now, I’m not suggesting that Americans should resort to voluntary poverty to solve their problems. All I’m saying is, if the “Florida School Lunch Reform Project” does not work, that could be our last option. Stay tuned. Even in some aspects of the Western culture, curves are better. If we can somehow bring the curvy body type as being “ideal,” focus on having thin bodies lessens. How about finding a balanced medium between skinny and obese? Why don’t we vote on a body weight national standard? Besides who says “beauty” is needed in order to survive? It isn’t necessary for evolution, just ask Charles Darwin. Sure male lions on the Discovery Channel are fierce rivals when it comes to finding mates. But wait, are we going to start making women compete to see who is healthy enough to menstruate? We can even go a step further and have them wage war on who is the fittest for giving birth. Oh the Reality TV possibilities!

But we don’t need Reality TV to picture Judy actually eating lunch and Kim actually keeping her lunch in her stomach. The “Florida School Lunch Reform Project” and the menu of [INSERT WITTY NAME] combats the increasing frequency of eating disorders among teenagers. This is a dieting program that actually works. In fact, it may just be our only hope. No more dieting crazes such as, the “low-fat” diet, “low-carb” diet, “all-liquid” diet, or “I-only-eat-on-weekends” diet. Once Florida teenagers are forced into eating healthy, they can swoop in and save America by going on a national tour giving seminars to other high schools. Who knows, maybe even Disney can sponsor them? The “America School Lunch Reform Project” sponsored by [INSERT WITTY NAME] is projected to be an over-night phenomenon. Healthy eating will soon revolutionize the world, where only the fittest survive. [INSERT WITTY ENDING HERE].

Works Cited

Meyers, David. Psychology: Seventh Edition. New York: Worth Publishers, 2004.

Nickol, Jenny. “Emotional Issues Involved with Eating Disorders.” The Ohio State University Extension (2001). 7 Nov. 2004. .

Sloan, Denise. “Does Warm Weather Climate Affect Eating Disorder Pathology?” International Journal of Eating Disorders 32 (2002): 240-244.

Spearing, Melissa. “Eating Disorders: Facts about Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions.” National Institute of Mental Health (2001). 7 Nov. 2004 .

Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth. New York: HarperCollins, 1991.

Notes

[i] Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth. New York: HarperCollins, 1991.

[ii] Melissa Spearing. “Eating Disorders: Facts about Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions.” National Institute of Mental Health (2001). 7 Nov. 2004 .

[iii] Melissa Spearing. “Eating Disorders: Facts about Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions.” National Institute of Mental Health (2001). 7 Nov. 2004 .

[iv] David Meyers. Psychology: Seventh Edition. (New York: Worth Publishers, 2004) 464-467.

[v] Jenny Nickol. “Emotional Issues Involved with Eating Disorders.” The Ohio State University Extension (2001). 7 Nov. 2004. .

[vi] David Meyers. Psychology: Seventh Edition. (New York: Worth Publishers, 2004) 464-467.

[vii] Ibid.

[viii] Jenny Nickol. “Emotional Issues Involved with Eating Disorders.” The Ohio State University Extension (2001). 7 Nov. 2004.

Survival of the Thinnest, assignment

Research It – Write It: Investigators, Editors, Columnists, Writers

Paper 4: Open Researched Piece
(Choosing a form, and supporting it with researched information) 8-10 pp
The climax of these papers is an Open Researched Piece. First presenting proposals to me about people, places, or events you wish to work with, you’ll begin to investigate your material early on, using The Curious Researcher for guidance. We’ll make sure that your subject matter is researchable, there are certainly topics out there that are hard to research – you’ll want to avoid those. During this process, we work together to determine the best medium for your subject: genre fiction, non-fiction, exposé, magazine essay, etc. Whichever you choose, your writing must reflect the extent of your bibliography, i.e. you’ve got to use the material listed in your sources. A total of 5 varying sources are required, but you may have more. You’ll keep a running annotated bibliography of sources, and will turn-in a bibliography page with the final.

Survival of the Thinnest, draft 1

Survival of the Fittest

It all started with Eve. All she wanted to do was eat an apple and what happens? She gets kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Then came Barbie. She gave all the little girls (and boys) something to dream about, for we learn at a young age to fear being overweight. Fast forward to the present. Images of perfection fill television, magazines, and even advertisements. Images that force the remaining majority of average young adults to question the way they look. Does this make me look fat? I could spare to loose a few pound, maybe even 50? Thoughts like these consume the minds of millions. And it’s not just the girls, remember Adam got kicked out too. Ever since the dawn of time, it seems society has punished those who just want to eat. A drastic solution is needed in order to further prevent negative body image.

What exactly constitutes an eating disorder? “Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as the extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight.” There are two basic types, anorexia nervosa (self-starvation) and bulimia (binge/purge syndrome). (Insert research about eating disorders here- describe anorexia bulimia- the symptoms, characteristics, etc.)

Has emaciation become a fad? Studies show there is alarming trend in high school to college students. Students are instead dropping their books and focusing instead on perfecting their physical bodies. To be a part of the “In Crowd” they have to look the part. In a study done by Denise Sloan, college student participants from Florida and Pennsylvania were given a series of questionnaires relating to eating disorder pathology. The results showed that students in warmer climates were more likely to develop an eating disorder. “The greater distortion of body image may result from the need to wear more revealing clothing.” It follows that body image increases during warm weather, got to fit in that bathing suit. While those who reside in seasonal climate only have to worry during the summer, those who reside in warmer weather the focus and concern about body image would be year-round. In order to find a solution to this ongoing problem going to the root is needed, similar to killing a pesky weed. Since Florida is the land of beautiful beaches and equally beautiful “he or she looks like a model” residents, it would be the most probable state to begin therapy. Once Florida is reformed, it will be easier for other states to follow suit. The only way we as a community can stop eating disorders from infiltrating the minds of our children is to start shaping them when they are young, for parents need to encourage healthy eating habits. We need to look into the Florida school lunch program.

Imagine this scene, in the cafeteria a prodigious number of students are waiting in line to receive their balanced, nutritious, affordable, and stylish lunch. If buying cafeteria food becomes the latest craze and all the popular kids are doing it, then we might have a chance to change the minds of all the children. Who knows maybe within a few weeks actually going to class will be the latest fad? We’ve searched for a company all over the world to design a lunch menu and there was one standout business, called (insert witty name here). They calculated a specialized lunch menu designed to achieve physical fitness. To provide a healthy meal for students, a careful assessment of food is performed on each thoroughly sterilized tray. Instead of filling the tray with meals full of harmful fats and excess carbohydrates, portions of food are miniaturized. Each French fry, chicken nugget, and carrot stick is counted in order to help students maintain a perfect, slim figure (without having to discretely use the bathroom afterwards). Since students will no longer have to worry about the number of calories they ingest, they will no longer have resort to bulimia and anorexia.

To attract students to purchase the food, the expert chefs considered that people have their own food preferences and tastes. The menu is designed to appeal to all students and a simple solution to this crisis is guaranteeing that the food is tasteless. Each sandwich, Sloppy Joe, and corn dog is untainted with seasoning, salt, or butter. This will tempt children who are picky about taste. Since the food is completely bland it can’t taste bad, right?
Not only must food be nutritious but safe as well. Some forms of food can be incredibly dangerous. For instance, crispy, crunchy, and fried foods can be harmful to the mouth. Overindulging in these foods can cause severe damage to the teeth and the wearing away of tooth enamel. If children can’t run with scissors, they surely can’t be expected to eat sharp food. These effects can be prevented by assuring that all food is soggy thus easily dissolvable by the saliva without having to chew as much. This has another bonus, soggy food can also prevent choking. Another destructive element is food is heat. Hot food can cause second-degree burn that scar the tissue of the mouth, leading to infection and permanent muteness. To avoid this, the food must not be hazardously tepid. Great lengths must be taken to ensure that the food is cool, better yet icy. Sometimes, to be sure, the food should not be cooked all the way through. This will attract the teenagers and they will be soon be commenting that the food is “pretty cool.”

Survival of the Thinnest, draft 2

It all started with Eve. All she wanted to do was eat an apple and what happens? She gets kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Then came Barbie. She gave all the little girls (and boys) something to dream about, for we learn at a young age to fear being overweight. Fast forward to the present. Images of perfection fill television, magazines, and even advertisements. Images that force the remaining majority of average young adults to look in the mirror and question the way they look. Does this make me look fat? I could spare to loose a few pound, maybe even 50? Thoughts like these consume the minds of millions. And it’s not just the girls, remember Adam got kicked out too. Ever since the dawn of time, it seems society has punished those who just want to eat. A drastic solution is needed in order to further prevent negative body image.

Judy, who is 15 years old, is 5 feet 4 inches, weighing at 105 pounds. One day while reading a popular fashion magazine she decided to loose a couple pounds in order to find a boyfriend. She instilled a dietary program that reduced her food to only vegetables, the occasional rice cake for dessert, and water only to drink. But she still wasn’t satisfied, so she added a vigorous exercise program and got rid of the occasional rice cake. Soon Judy weighed a mere 75 pounds, but she still saw herself in the mirror as “fat” so the strict dieting program continues. After a couple of months Judy noticed that she has had difficulty sleeping, has been going through depression episodes, and has stopped having regular menstrual periods. Her family is worried that she is getting to thin, but Judy does not think anything is wrong with her and refuses treatment. .

Kim is 17 years old, stands at 5 feet 9 inches and weighs 150 pounds. In the back of her mind, she has always felt a little chubby even though people constantly tell her that her weight is average for her height. She often strays from her diet restrictions, followed by extreme gorging to make up for the dieting. She feels so disgusted and ashamed when she binges, often unbelieving how much food she ate, so once she purges she is more relieved. So for the last couple of months she has resorted to overindulging, followed by vomiting. She can eat a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts or an entire extra large pizza with all the fixings all by herself, then make herself vomit. Kim knows all the gas stations that have the single stall with a key lock so no one will hear her vomit. She keeps her vomiting a secret, and finds ways to hide it from her family. Kim wants to date and be social, but she doesn’t because she is so self-conscious about the way she looks.

Has emaciation become a fad? Studies show there is alarming trend in high school to college students.4 Students are instead dropping their books and focusing instead on perfecting their physical bodies. To be a part of the “In Crowd” they have to look the part. In a study done by Denise Sloan, college student participants from Florida and Pennsylvania were given a series of questionnaires relating to eating disorder pathology.5 The results showed that students in warmer climates were more likely to develop an eating disorder. “The greater distortion of body image may result from the need to wear more revealing clothing.” It follows that body image increases during warm weather. We all have to fit in that bathing suit. While those who reside in seasonal climate only have to worry during the summer, those who reside in warmer weather the focus and concern about body image would be year-round. In order to find a solution to this ongoing problem going to the root is needed, similar to killing a pesky weed. Since Florida is the land of beautiful beaches and equally beautiful “he or she looks like a model” residents, it would be the most probable state to begin therapy. Once Florida is reformed, it will be easier for other states to follow suit. The only way we as a community can stop eating disorders from infiltrating the minds of our children is to start shaping them when they are young, for parents need to encourage healthy eating habits. Studies show that eating is controlled by many factors including appetite, food availability, family, peer, and cultural practices, and attempts at voluntary control.6 We need to look into the Florida school lunch program.

Not only must food be nutritious but safe as well. Some forms of food can be incredibly dangerous. For instance, crispy, crunchy, and fried foods can be harmful to the mouth. Overindulging in these foods can cause severe damage to the teeth and the wearing away of tooth enamel. If children can’t run with scissors, they surely can’t be expected to eat sharp food. These effects can be prevented by assuring that all food is soggy thus easily dissolvable by the saliva without having to chew as much. This has another bonus, soggy food can also prevent choking. Another destructive element is food is heat. Hot food can cause second-degree burn that scar the tissue of the mouth, leading to infection and permanent muteness. To avoid this, the food must not be hazardously tepid. Great lengths must be taken to ensure that the food is cool, better yet icy. Sometimes, to be sure, the food should not be cooked all the way through. This will attract the teenagers and they will be soon be commenting that the food is “pretty cool.” Students will no longer have to be concerned with the lunch and can instead focus on more important things; for instance, their hunger for knowledge.

Researchers note that family has a huge impact on eating practices.6 People with bulimia have a higher than usual incidence of alcoholism, obesity, and depression in their families. While anorexia patients often come from families that are competitive, high achieving, and protective. They set high standards, worried about falling short of expectations, and are intensely concerned about how others think of them.

Works Cited

Jones, Jennifer, Susan Bennett, Marion Olmsted, Margaret Lawson, and Gary Rodin.

“Disordered Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in Teenaged Girls: A School-Based Study.”

Canadian Medical Association (2001). 7 November 2004

-This study shows the frequency of eating disorders in correlation to age groups. The focus of my paper will be from high school students to college students.

Nickol, Jenny. “Emotional Issues Involved with Eating Disorders.” The Ohio State University Extension (2001). 7 November 2004. .

-I will use this article to show the typical personality traits of people with eating disorders i.e. how they act, how they were raised, pressures from culture, etc.

Sloan, Denise. “Does Warm Weather Climate Affect Eating Disorder Pathology?” Wiley Periodicals (2002). 2 November 2004 .

-This is a psychological research study published in an online scholarly journal that correlates weather and eating disorders. This study has a great impact on my paper since the study was done between female college students in Florida versus Pennsylvania, so this will localize my subject. I’m going to use it to show how the frequency of people with eating disorders is higher in Florida.

Spearing Melissa. “Eating Disorders: Facts about Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions.” National Institute of Mental Health (2001). 7 November 2004 .

-This article will just be used as a background for what exactly is an eating disorder-the different types, symptoms, treatment strategies, etc.
My next source is from my Psychology textbook, written by David G. Meyers. I plan to use the section on eating disorders in my paper. It explains the cultural explanation of the reason why eating disorders occur mainly in women and in “weight-conscious cultures.” It also emphasizes the “thin-ideal” propagated through popular culture- i.e. fashion models are considered beautiful and how this ideal can affect young women.

Survival of the Thinnest, draft 3

It all started with Eve. All she wanted to do was eat an apple and what happens? She gets kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Then came Barbie. She gave all the little girls (and boys) something to dream about, for we learn at a young age to fear being overweight. Fast forward to the present. Images of perfection fill television, magazines, and even advertisements. Images that force the remaining majority of average young adults to look in the mirror and question the way they look. Does this make me look fat? I could spare to loose a few pound, maybe even 50? Thoughts like these consume the minds of millions. And it’s not just the girls, remember Adam got kicked out too. Ever since the dawn of time, it seems society has punished those who just want to eat. A drastic solution is needed in order to further prevent negative body image.

Has emaciation become a fad? Studies show there is alarming trend in high school to college students.4 Students are instead dropping their books and focusing instead on perfecting their physical bodies. To be a part of the “In Crowd” they have to look the part. In a study done by Denise Sloan, college student participants from Florida and Pennsylvania were given a series of questionnaires relating to eating disorder pathology and their body masses were compared.5 The results showed that students in warmer climates were more likely to develop an eating disorder and those students also tended to weigh less than those who lived in Pennsylvania. This can be compared to animals, where animals who live in colder climate need more body mass to keep warm. The questionnaires revealed that the students from Florida displayed a greater concern about body image compared to the students from Pennsylvania. So Sloan concluded that, “The greater distortion of body image may result from the need to wear more revealing clothing.” It follows that body image increases during warm weather. We all have to fit in that bathing suit. While those who reside in seasonal climate only have to worry during the summer, those who reside in warmer weather the focus and concern about body image would be year-round. In order to find a solution to this ongoing problem going to the root is needed, similar to killing a pesky weed. Since Florida is the land of beautiful beaches and equally beautiful “he or she looks like a model” residents, it would be the most probable state to begin therapy. Once Florida is reformed, it will be easier for other states to follow suit. The only way we as a community can stop eating disorders from infiltrating the minds of our children is to start shaping them when they are young, for parents need to encourage healthy eating habits. Studies show that eating is controlled by many factors including appetite, food availability, family, peer, and cultural practices, and attempts at voluntary control.6 We need to look into the Florida school lunch program. We need to look at the whole Florida school system altogether, but that’s a different article.

Imagine this scene, in the cafeteria a prodigious number of students are waiting in line to receive their balanced, nutritious, affordable, and stylish lunch. They are not rowdy while waiting in line, instead patient and quiet, all with a look of eagerness on their faces. If buying cafeteria food becomes the latest craze and all the popular kids are doing it, then we might have a chance to change the minds of all the children. Who knows maybe within a few weeks actually going to class will be the latest fad? We’ve searched for a company all over the world to design a lunch menu and there was one standout business, called (insert witty name here). They calculated a specialized lunch menu designed to achieve physical fitness. To provide a healthy meal for students, a careful assessment of food is performed on each thoroughly sterilized tray. Instead of filling the tray with meals full of harmful fats and excess carbohydrates, portions of food are miniaturized. Each French fry, chicken nugget, and carrot stick is counted in order to help students maintain a perfect, slim figure (without having to discretely use the bathroom afterwards). Since students will no longer have to worry about the number of calories they ingest, they will no longer have resort to bulimia and anorexia.

Consider these two scenarios:

Sitting at the lunch table, Judy meticulously breaks her food into smaller pieces. Some of the food is placed in her mouth and when no one is looking, she spits it into a carefully hidden napkin in her hand. At home hiding her food is easier, she casually drops it on the floor for the family dog to eat. When she eats with other people, the food just gets shoved around to make it look like she ate some of it. If they question her, the popular excuse is “I didn’t like the way it tasted.” With Company (insert witty name here), that excuse can no longer be used. If Judy is picky about taste, the menu will certainly appeal to her. Say goodbye to spitting out food on hidden napkins. Attending South Miami Middle School at 15 years old, Judy was 5 feet 4 inches, weighing at 105 pounds. One day while reading a popular fashion magazine she decided to loose a couple pounds in order to find a boyfriend. She instilled a dietary program that reduced her food to only vegetables, the occasional rice cake for dessert, and water only to drink. Even though she lost some weight she still wasn’t satisfied, so she added a vigorous exercise program. Soon Judy weighed a mere 75 pounds, but she still saw herself in the mirror as “fat” so the strict dieting program and food hiding continues. The clothes that once hugged her body tightly, now hangs loosely. Her family is worried that she is getting to thin, but Judy does not think anything is wrong with her and refuses treatment.

A senior at Miami Beach High, 17 year old Kim, at 5 feet 9 inches, weighs in at 150 pounds, but in her mind she has always felt a little chubby. People constantly tell her that her weight is average for her height, but Kim is not a believer. Feeling guilty for not sticking to her diet, she drives to McDonald’s. Company (insert witty name here) can help Kim to avoid straying from her diet with it’s scientifically calculated menu. Incredibly hungry from dieting the last couple of weeks, she decides to splurge a little. When she orders three super-sized Big Mac meals to go, the employee assumes that she is just buying lunch for her and her friends. Little does he know, Kim plans on eating all that food, all by herself. The car is a safe haven for Kim, for she can drive to any fast food restaurant and gorge in the car without anyone seeing. She takes a heavenly bite of one crispy deep fried french fries and almost cuts her cheek. “Man these things should come with a warning label,” she thinks to herself. With Company (insert witty name here)’s specially designed menu, there will be no more harm due to sharp food. Students can eat as fast as they want without worry about burning the roof of their mouths either. After shoveling Big Mac after Big Mac and french fries between each bit, Kim now craves something sweet. The next stop is the local gas station, where she buys a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Kim rushes back to her car and inhales the entire box. What have I done? I can’t believe I ate all of that. I feel so disgusted and ashamed. She goes back inside the gas station and asks for the bathroom key because she knows by heart all of the gas stations in town with the single stalls. Once inside, she immediately sticks her finger down her throat and lets it all out. I feel better now that the food I ate can no longer make me gain weight. My throat kind of hurts though and why are my teeth getting so stained and yellow? The vomiting is Kim’s secret and she finds ways to hide it from her family. In her room, is an air-tight Rubbermaid container filled to the brim with throw-up because if she vomits in the bathroom someone might hear.

There are two basic types of eating disorders, Judy has anorexia nervosa (self-starvation) and Kim has bulimia (binge/purge syndrome). Judy’s condition is a disorder in which a person drops significantly below normal weight, typically by 15 percent or more, but they still feel that they look fat. People with anorexia are obsessed with losing weight and even when they are dangerously thin, they continue to reduce their food intake.2 Soon anorexia patients have difficulty sleeping, go through depression episodes, and stop having regular menstrual periods. People with anorexia are usually characterized as being perfectionists, fear confrontations, extremely dependent, and constantly seek approval from peers. Sometimes girls who develop anorexia are influenced by their mother’s obsession with weight control. Kim’s condition is more common. Bulimia is characterized by repeated episodes of overeating followed by compensatory vomiting, laxative use, or fasting. Depression and shame often follow binges causing the purge. Because of the constant vomiting- which is basically stomach acid, people with bulimia burn their esophagus and ruin their teeth. Bulimia patients, like those with anorexia, are preoccupied with food and are extremely fearful of becoming overweight. But unlike anorexia, bulimia is marked by weight fluctuations within or above normal ranges, making the conditions easy to hide.3 People with bulimia are usually know for their secretive behavior, negative thoughts about themselves, have difficulty controlling impulses, cannot stand being alone, and demand constant attention.

A cultural explanation can also account for the high frequency of eating disorders among more weight conscious societies. Ideals of beauty are constantly changing, thus leading to people struggling to meet those standards. Is our culture weight-obsessed? As Dave Barry once remarked, “Why do women have such low self-esteem? There are many complex psychological and societal reasons, by which I mean Barbie.” How could this “little” doll have such a great affect on the way people generate body image? Maybe Barbie is so skinny because dolls do not need to eat. The executives at Company (insert witty name here) have proposed a plan in which Barbie is the face of “Florida School Lunch Reform Project.” Let’s face it Barie needs a new positive image and the job of spokesperson for the project is just how to get it. If new Barbie dolls are made to showcase healthy eating with the proposed tasteless soggy menu, it equals a surefire hit. Visions of Barbie holding a tray with carefully counted carrot sticks, an unseasoned sandwich, and a single slice of apple for dessert is coming to a store near you. Ballet Barbie and Gymnast Barbie will no longer have to worry about gaining weight with a tasteless, cold, and carefully calorie counted diet. Or Ken’s favorite snack before football practice is a bowl of bland soggy spaghetti because he needs those carbohydrates for fuel. Not only will this benefit Florida schools, but the whole state of Florida as well. Just think of all the merchandising and advertising revenues the project will bring in. If the children are given a more positive role model, they will more likely take on healthy eating habits.

Body ideals vary across cultures, for example David Myers states that “in Africa where poverty, AIDS, and hunger mean thinness, prosperity means being plump- bigger is better.”7 Maybe in this lies the answer to all our problems. Should America resort to poverty in order to combat the eating disorder frenzy? If the Florida reform does not work, that could be our last option. Even in some aspects of the Western Culture, curves are better. If we can somehow bring the curvy body type as being “ideal,” there will be less focus on being overly thin. We need to find a balanced medium between skinny and obese and set that body image as the national standard.

With the influence of popular culture, our society has developed the “ideal” weight causing many young Americans struggling to reach that unattainable and unrealistic goal. The proof is in the emergence of all these dieting crazes, the “low-fat” diet, the “low-carb” diet, “the all-liquid” diet, or the “I-only-eat-on-weekends” diet. When these diets do not work, desperate people often go to extreme measures resulting in eating disorders. The “Florida School Lunch Reform Project” and the menu of Company (insert witty name here) can help combat the increasing frequency of eating disorders among teenagers. This is a dieting program that actually works. Once Florida teenagers are educated on the value of eating healthy, they can help the rest of American by going on a national tour giving seminars to other high schools. The “America School Lunch Reform Project” sponsored by Company (insert witty name here) is projected to be an over-night phenomenon. Healthy eating will soon take over the world, where only the fittest survive.

Annotated Bibliography

Jones, Jennifer, Susan Bennett, Marion Olmsted, Margaret Lawson, and Gary Rodin. “Disordered Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in Teenaged Girls: A School-Based Study.” Canadian Medical Association (2001). 7 November 2004 .

This study shows the frequency of eating disorders in correlation to age groups. The focus of my paper will be from high school students to college students.

Myers, David. Psychology: Seventh Edition. New York: Worth Publishers, 2004.

I plan to use the section on eating disorders in my paper. It explains the cultural explanation of the reason why eating disorders occur mainly in women and in “weight-conscious cultures.” It also emphasizes the “thin-ideal” propagated through popular culture- i.e. fashion models are considered beautiful and how this ideal can affect young women.

Nickol, Jenny. “Emotional Issues Involved with Eating Disorders.” The Ohio State University Extension (2001). 7 November 2004. .

I will use this article to show the typical personality traits of people with eating disorders i.e. how they act, how they were raised, pressures from culture, etc.

Sloan, Denise. “Does Warm Weather Climate Affect Eating Disorder Pathology?” Wiley Periodicals (2002). 2 November 2004 .

This is a psychological research study published in an online scholarly journal that correlates weather and eating disorders. This study has a great impact on my paper since the study was done between female college students in Florida versus Pennsylvania, so this will localize my subject. I’m going to use it to show how the frequency of people with eating disorders is higher in Florida.

Spearing Melissa. “Eating Disorders: Facts about Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions.” National Institute of Mental Health (2001). 7 November 2004 .
This article will just be used as a background for what exactly is an eating disorder-the different types, symptoms, treatment strategies, etc.
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Our Own Words: A Student's Guide to First Year Writing

* About FYW
* Computer Labs on Campus
* Our Own Words 2004-2005 Edition
* Our Own Words 2005-2006 Edition
o Coming Out of the Dark by James Tooley Jr. (McCrimmon Winner)
o Lessons of Living by Whitney Harris (McCrimmon Runner-up)
o The Beauty of Color by Keh'ara Kirkland (McCrimmon Honorable Mention)
o Murder? Oh wait! You Mean an English Paper! Oh! OK! by Catherine Saunders (McCrimmon Honorable Mention)
o A Hole In My Left Shoe by Christopher Brown
o A Poker Addiction by Juan Michelen
o Collegiate Gladiator in the Gauntlet of Education by Justen Calvacca
o Survival of the Thinnest by Glivery Gayahan
+ Survival of the Thinnest, assignment
+ Survival of the Thinnest, draft 1
+ Survival of the Thinnest, draft 2
+ Survival of the Thinnest, draft 3
+ Survival of the Thinnest, draft 4
+ Survival of the Thinnest, process memo
o The Wizard of Oz: More Than Just a Children’s Story by Lauren Houlberg
* Our Own Words 2006-2007 Edition
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* What to Expect in ENC 1102

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