Media effects on body image and eating attitudes of the women living in metropolitan and rural areas in a Turkish population

Abstract

Body perception is a subjective formation that is open to changevia social effects. In fact, there is no need for a relation between one’s own perception about his/her body and other peoples’ perception about his/her body. body perception is subject to change due to social effects. Research indicate that body ideal has been changing through different ages, different groups and cultures (Jackson, 2002). Media, on the other hand, is an active agent triggering problems about body perception. Aim of the present study is to investigate media effects on body perception of women living in rural and metropolitan areas of Turkey. Our resultsindicate that sociodemographic variables are among determinants of media follow-up habits and eating attitudes of women living in metropolitan and rural areas.