Values perception in food commercials with dietary strategies

There is clear evidence today that advertising influences eating disorders. Particularly, advertising uses stereotyped body images to spread and promote physical ideals and non-healthy food habits associated with food and clothes products targeted at youth. The purpose of this is study is to test the perception of 25 values in three dietary commercials by two groups of young people (with and without eating disorders). Results show that only the group with those disorders (ED) consider these commercials to be negative in terms of health, well-being, family or effort, while the non-ED group assesses them slightly positively. These results point to the unnatural and self-interested social and media construction of beauty and success.