By definition, body image is “the internal representation of one's external appearance that reflects physical and perceptual dimensions” (Kovar). This means the way you see yourself when you look in the mirror. For example, two women who are the same weight and height might see each other in completely different ways. Not everyone has the same body image. Self-worth and self-worth, as well as physical characteristics, play a role in how people view themselves. So, one of the women might see herself as having the most perfect body while the other sees herself as too fat or too short. The media has benefits promoting healthy lifestyles and ultra-skinny models promoting drastic measures to look like them; it undoubtedly has an effect on people's body image, but in both a positive and negative light. Today's society is based on a standard that makes it harder for someone who doesn't fit the cookie-cutter image to succeed than it is for a thin, clean model. In essence, “what is beautiful is good” (Fox), and therefore what is ugly, dirty or overweight is bad. People with the ideal body that adapts to today's "normality" are at an advantage. The problem is that only about 5% of women in the United States actually meet the criteria of that perfect body image (Miller), most of whom are half-starved models photographed by the media. In the media it is so common to see these “ultra-thin” models that they are considered normal and even a standard to live up to. Fifty years ago or maybe even twenty years ago, these models would have been a good example to the world, an image of health and fitness. Since then, however, the average weight of models has decreased by 15% and continues to decrease (Miller). The... center of the card... men tend to exaggerate them; But this does not mean that they are immune to the attacks of their “internal photographer” (Gervais). A sad fact is that there is almost no age difference between people whose body images are influenced by the media – they all are (Fox). . Children are exposed to the "ultra-thin" ideal so early in life, and many do not have a positive role model from whom they can learn the importance of a positive body image. Studies have shown that ethnicity and race have a significant effect from the perspective of what a positive body image is and what type of image is ideal. Caucasian women tend to have a more negative body image than Asian and black women. Other more permeable factors play into positive and negative body image, such as marital status and living situations, such as wealth and health. Pregnancy causes women to have a less negative body image.