The average woman in America sees about 3,000 ads each day—many of which send messages about what the "ideal" female body should look like. But 98 percent of American women are not as thin as the fashion models who supposedly have the right body type. The average American woman is 5'4" and weighs 165 pounds. The average Miss America winner is 5'7" and weighs 121 pounds.
It's not surprising, then, that 42 percent of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner. 81 percent of 10-year-old girls are afraid of being fat. 70 percent of 18-30-year-old American women don't like their bodies, and 60 percent of women in middle age still remain unsatisfied with their bodies. 50 percent of girls use unhealthy weight control behaviors, such as skipping meals, vomiting, and taking laxatives. Nearly 20 million women will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
