Body image may be the western world’s ugliest export. Images of thin, toned women and hyper-muscular men are conveyed via television, magazines, movies and the internet to the global market.

The ideal dictated by the mass media is virtually impossible for people to achieve without excessive dieting, excessive exercise, or both. As a result, cultures that used to regard bulk as a sign of wealth and success now have a growing prevalence of eating disorders. read more