The Status of Media Effects on Body Image Research: Commentary on Articles in the Themed Issue on Body Image and Media

There is increasingly convincing evidence that media-promoted unrealistic thin ideals are associated with detrimental effects on women and girls' moods, body image, and eating patterns. Accordingly, media effects on body image have become an important area of research—one with theoretical and practical implications. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief introduction to the articles included in this themed issue of Media Psychology to clarify how they inform us and what remains to be investigated. As a set, the articles well exemplify current trends in this research area and contribute to an increasingly complex and sophisticated understanding of the role of the media in body image.