Reality TV blamed for cosmetic surgery rise
Posted in NEWS by Ben on Sep 01, 06:00AM
Extreme makeover and weight loss shows are fuelling a surge in the number of Australians going under the knife to dramatically change their appearance, psychologists have warned.
A report published in the Medical Journal of Australia blames reality television programs like "The Biggest Loser" for the huge increase in people seeking cosmetic and weight reduction surgery.
It states that the number of procedures climbed by about 15 per cent in most countries, including Australia, between 2006 and 2007, with more patients admitting "appearance medicine" shows had motivated them to make the change.
"An important driving factor behind the increase in cosmetic and weight reduction surgery may well be the large number of reality television programs that focus on weight loss and radical appearance change," said health psychologist Professor Keith Petrie, from the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
He said these programs were attracting massive audiences, with more than one million Australians tuning in to watch each episode of "The Biggest Loser" last year.
And change was dramatic on the program, with the winner losing 70 kilograms - almost half his body weight.
The winner of a US makeover show, "The Swan," underwent 13 facial, dental and body procedures, including brow, eye and mid-face lifts, liposuction, fat transfer to the lips and a tummy tuck.
Prof Petrie said these types of shows typically distorted the speed and difficulty of huge physical changes, creating dangerously inflated, unrealistic expectations for viewers.
"Most programs focus on the few individuals who have the most dramatic changes in appearance, thus exaggerating the likelihood of positive outcomes," he said.
He said the rate of weight loss and other appearance changes also seemed extremely fast due to time being condensed into a television program format.
"Complications, infections and failed procedures are barely mentioned, giving the impression that negative outcomes are rare," Prof Petrie said.
"And the environments in which appearance medicine programs are filmed are often highly artificial, as most people don't have access to the same level of resources, equipment, personal trainers and chefs."
The editorial report calls for more research into the psychological impact on viewers and said stronger safeguards were needed to protect participants in the same way ethical standards protect patients involved in experimental drug trials.
"Given the dissatisfaction that participants typically express about themselves and their lives at the programs' commencement, the extreme psychological pressure that is created during filming, and the difficulty of maintaining rapid weight loss, it would be surprising if all participants and their families walked away unscathed," he said.
A spokeswoman for Network Ten defended "The Biggest Loser," saying the show was filmed in a safe, controlled environment with slow weight loss supported by expert guidance from dieticians, trainers and psychologists.
-Tamara McLean, The Age/AAP
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