Sharlene Hesse-Biber

Sharlene Hesse-Biber states in the following viewpoint that young women who believe in the cultural ideal for body image—which values extreme slenderness—are at risk of developing eating disorders. According to Hesse-Biber, the influence of the family is a major factor in determining whether women accept or reject cultural ideals of thinness. Families who convey the message that to be thin is to be loved may cause their female children to develop problematic relationships with food.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What powerful message is conveyed by society’s popular culture, according to Hesse-Biber"

2. As explained by the author, how did Barbara’s family contribute to the development of her eating disorder"

3. How do mothers’ attitudes about body image and eating influence their daughters...