Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness; 24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from eating disorders and only 1 in 10 of these 24 million is treated (ANAD). Eating disorders do not discriminate; all ages, genders, ethnicities and races can be victims of this mental illness. It is important to be aware of the impact eating disorders have on societies around the world and the role the media plays if we want to combat the source and promote prevention and/or rehabilitation. I have known many people in my life who suffer from some type of eating disorder, whether it be anorexia (not eating enough), binge eating (eating large amounts of food quickly), bulimia (vomiting food), or simply struggling with a unsatisfactory nutrition. self-image. Becoming aware of eating disorders and how they develop is important to me because in a perfect world, I would like to see this disease become less common or decrease completely among those I love and everyone else in today's society. Eating disorders affect many people, including me. Raising awareness can decrease the rate of eating disorders by informing the population about the damage this disease causes and hopefully promoting prevention and/or rehabilitation. With the 3 theoretical approaches used by sociologists one can understand eating disorders which will better inform society on how to raise awareness, prevent this disease and help those suffering from eating disorders. Functionalism is the oldest and most commonly used theoretical approach to understanding social issues. Functionalism is a macrosociological perspective that presents the idea that society is made up of different components that work together to help a society function as one. Sociologist...... in the center of the sheet...... image, which causes eating disorders. Conflict theory is also a macrosociological perspective that suggests that people are influenced by personal and group interests. I think I agree more with conflict theory because, unlike the functionalist perspective, [as presented by MD] this theoretical approach suggests that actions are carried out based on a person or group's interests rather than theirs values ​​because we are a "fix it" type of society (62).Works CitedANAD. “Statistics on eating disorders”. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Related Disorders, Inc., 2013.Web. November 18, 2013.Giddens, Anthony, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Applebaum, and Deborah Carr. Introduction to sociology. New York: Norton & Company, 2012. Print.MD “Body Image: A Blurred Reality.” Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-Knowledge 2.2 (2004): 58-65 pages. Network. November 18 2013.