There is strong empirical support for the adverse impact of
visual mass media on several adolescent behavioural health
outcomes. In addition, both correlational and experimental data,
in aggregate, support the association of mass media exposure with
body dissatisfaction and eating pathology. Although experimental
data have demonstrated a small to moderate effect of mass media
exposure on body image disturbance and disordered eating,
these findings reflect only the measured immediate impact of
direct media exposure. Because cumulative and collateral effects
that characterise naturalistic media consumption have not been
measured, laboratory-based findings very likely underestimate
the true effects of media on eating pathology. Similarly,
correlational studies relating media consumption to body image
and disordered eating do not measure indirect media exposures.
Given consensus that media consumption affects body image
and eating pathology at least partly by internalisation of a ‘thin
ideal’ social network media exposure conceivably influences
adolescent behaviour independently of direct exposure, through imitation and social learning.8,14 Indeed, peer conversations may
be critical to the uptake of media-based values. However, little
is known about the dynamics of media influence within social
networks and the potential indirect impact of media exposure
on eating pathology remains relatively unexplored.