Does This Yoplait Commercial Encourage Eating Disorders?

We are all constantly bombarded with images of "ideal" women in television commercials, magazine advertisements, movies and on billboards. But what sort of affect do these images have on our psyches and behaviors? The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) believes that commercials can have a large affect on us -- and a negative one.

A recent Yoplait ad -- depicting a woman's internal dilemma regarding whether or not to eat a piece of cheesecake -- set off a national controversy. NEDA contended that the commercial's language promoted disordered eating. After the outcry, Yoplait agreed to pull the commercial off of the air.

Lynn Grefe, President and CEO of NEDA, applauded Yoplait's actions. "The language in this advertising campaign was seriously problematic for those affected by eating disorders and anyone who may have a predisposition towards developing one. We applaud Yoplait and General Mills for taking the time to speak with us, listening to our concerns and their quick action to provide a solution."

For many, the dialogue depicted in the commercial just hit too close to home. "I was shocked by how they really nailed it on the head -- that's exactly what I thought every time I opened a refrigerator door," Jenni Schaefer told The Huffington Post. Schaefer is an author of two books about eating disorder recovery -- and she used to be both bulimic and anorexic. For women who have struggled with issues such as these, certain language can easily serve as a disastrous trigger.

This controversy begs the question -- how careful should advertisers be when creating ad spots like this one? And how much power do commercials really have over the way we think about ourselves and our bodies?

Does this commercial actually encourage women to develop an unhealthy relationship to food? Or should organizations be focusing their attentions and energies elsewhere?

We asked our readers and here's what some of them had to say:

Karen G.
I didn't see a problem with the commercial. If anything, it pointed out that we need to be aware of what we are eating and the amount of exercise it would take the burn off what we are eating. If that was going to cause an eating disorder we should ban "Biggest Loser" and all of those types of shows. In this case I think the association was being too sensitive.

Susan B.
ALL of their commercials annoy me. And as someone who has struggled with disordered eating, that was the only one I could identify with. But it was still annoying. I still won't eat that sugary garbage.

Courtney T.
I don't think that everything should be censored just because it may cause a problem for some small percentage of people. We are so PC now about everything that we end up with our heads in the sand about other problems. Someone who has an eating disorder will struggle with these issues no matter what they see on TV.

Kathy O.
Seems a bit much to pull the commercial. People should shift their focus elsewhere. The lady in the ad is just choosing the healthier option ...

Green Fit
I liked the commercial cause that is EXACTLY how I think when I see food like that cheesecake. And I don't have an eating disorder so ... Now I can see this trigger people to, um, eat yogurt instead of cheesecake.

Christina W.
It didn't cause me personally to think more negatively about myself, but I appreciate them being sensitive to the possibility that some people might be affected negatively.

Nikki D.
The commercial shouldn't have been pulled. I don't think it actually encourages eating disorders. Most women think like that when deciding what to eat.