ABC's new reality television program, "Are You Hot? The Search for America's Sexiest People," could spell trouble for those who have eating disorders, says an associate professor of community and family medicine at Saint Louis University.
"'Are You Hot?' gets physically attractive people to expose themselves, literally, knowing they'll get terrible critiques from a panel of experts who tell them they're not good looking enough," says Randall Flanery, Ph.D., a psychologist and the father of 10 children. "This type of 'my body is not good enough' thinking is one of the many factors that can fuel an eating disorder."
Flanery considers "Are You Hot?" destructive and irresponsible to both viewers and participants.
"It's demeaning to participants and sends the message to viewers that how you look is much more important than who you are," he says.
"The standard of beauty they're applying is even abnormal. It's not how real people look. A woman would have to work out a lot and have breast implants. Anytime you're emphasizing an exclusive focus and attention on your body and the standards you are trying to reach are virtually impossible, you are guaranteeing disappointment."
Editor's Note: Eating Disorders Awareness week is Feb. 23- March 2.
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