“To be happy and successful, you must be thin,” is a message women receive at an early age (Society and Eating Disorders). In fact, eating disorders are still on the rise due to the value society places on thinness. Why do women feel pressure from society to strive for the “ideal” figure? According to Sheldon's research on “Pressure to Be Perfect: Influences on College Students' Body Esteem,” the ideal figure of the average woman portrayed in the media is 5'11” and 120 pounds. In reality, the average American woman weighs 140 pounds at 5'4”. Social pressures come from television programs, diet commercials, social media, family, peers, magazines, and models. However, most women do not consider retouching their photos with beauty photoshoot and airbrushing. This ongoing issue of thinness will always be a concern due to the rise of eating disorders and body dissatisfaction around the world. Shouldn't a woman feel insecure about her body when she feels comfortable in her own skin, regardless of whether she weighs 130 pounds or 150 pounds? at 5'5”? The ideal image of the thin woman is normally portrayed in the media typically at 15% below the average weight of a woman (Hawkins, et al. 36). Researchers have also found that models are approximately ninety-eight percent thinner than the average American woman (Strahan, et al. 288). According to Rehab's study of the evolution of the female figure over a hundred years, "the body shapes of the most admired models have remained consistently slimmer than those of the average American woman." Due to the significant increase in mass media throughout the 20th century in the United States, there has been a notable impact on the popular image of wo......middle of paper......Women."Taylor & Francis Online. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention, August 17, 2010. Web. April 6, 2014. Lawrie, Z., et al. “Influence of the Media on the Body Image of Children and Adolescents.” Eating Disorders 14.5 (2006) .): 355-364. SPORTDiscus with full text. April 6, 2014. Sheldon, Pavica. “Pressure to be perfect: Influences on college student body esteem.” "Society and Eating Disorders." Society and Eating Disorders., n.d. Web.10 April 2014. Strahan, E., et al Sociocultural Norms Affect Adolescent Girls and Women. Sage, October 2005. Web. April 6, 2014." Women's body image and BMI. " Rehabs.com. Np, nd Web. 09 April. 2014.