Dying to be Perfect
To Determine how Societal Factors in 2014 Contribute to Eating Disorders in Young Women throughout North America

November 15, 2013

Table of contents
I Project Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1 A: Purpose of Study……………………………………………………………………………………………………..1 B: Scope of Study………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1 C: Literature Review …………………………………………………………………………………………………….2 D: Primary Data Methodology ………………………………………………………………………………………..1

II Statement of Ethical Issues……………………………………………………………………………………………… A: Types of Participants …………………………………………………………………………………………………… B: Recruitment Process ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. C: Confidentiality ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. D: Informed Consent ………………………………………………………………………………………………. E: Voluntary Participation ………………………………………………………………………………………………

References ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Appendix A: Instruments ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Consent Form ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Survey …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Appendix B: Research Proposal Checklist…………………………………………………………………………………

Appendix C: Research Concept ………………………………………………………………………………………………

I Project Summary

A: Purpose of the Study This research will examine the relationship between societal factors and eating disorders in women. The purpose is to discover exactly how things such as media, friends, family and culture contribute to unhealthy eating behaviors and why. It appears that women who have eating disorders often have low self-esteem and are dissatisfied with their bodies. Some women could become depressed, obese, anxious or emotional eaters. This research will find out if different types of eating disorders are impacted by societal factors for women such as ethnicity, age, beliefs, mass media and eating habits. This research will also examine eating disorders. B: Scope of the Study The reason for research into this topic is to see what can be done for females who have an eating disorder and what can be done to prevent them. Research will determine if the pressure of societal factors are a primary cause for women to be dissatisfied with their bodies and resort to unhealthy eating behaviors. The research will also examine if women who are also struggling with these disorders need community based support and recovery programs. The research will determine if the risk of developing an eating disorder is lowered when a community is more fully informed about how to recognize and prevent eating disorders. Research will investigate where the way society portrays the idea body impacts self-image. We will also determine if women who are taught how to take care of their bodies the right way, by joining exercise programs and learning how to eat healthy, have a better self-image.

C: Literature review In the article “Disordered Eating in Woman: Implications for the Obesity Pandemic,” the author, Christie Urquhart, looks at how sociocultural factors play a role in eating disorders and obesity in women. She reviewed medical, psychological and sociological databases to examine the relationship between disordered eating and sociocultural factors and found that disordered eating is more common in overweight individuals who have a greater fear of binge eating and participate in unhealthy behaviors to stay thin. She found that obesity and disordered eating share common characteristics and risk factors like body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, dieting, binge eating, media exposure, being teased and personal weight concerns. Body image is a frequent topic of female conversation which makes body dissatisfaction look like a norm.
Physical appearance and body size are important in society. It fosters