For some women, genes may influence pressure to be thin Genetics
may make some women more vulnerable to the pressure of being
thin, a study led by Michigan State University researchers has
found. From size-zero models to airbrushed film stars, thinness
is portrayed as equaling beauty across Western culture, and it’s
an ideal often cited as a cause of eating disorder symptoms in
young women. The researchers focused on the potential
psychological impact of women buying into this perceived ideal
of thinness, which they call thin-ideal internalization. Changes
in self-perception and behavior, caused by this idealization,
can lead to body dissatisfaction, a preoccupation with weight
and other symptoms of eating disorders. “We’re all bombarded
daily with messages extoling the virtues of being thin, yet
intriguingly only some women develop what we term thin-ideal
internalization,” said Jessica Suisman, lead author on the study
and a researcher in MSU’s Department of Psychology. “This
suggests that genetic factors ma