READING ‘FIFTY SHADES’ LINKED TO UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS

Young adult women who read “Fifty Shades of
Grey” are more likely than nonreaders to exhibit
signs of eating disorders and have a verbally
abusive partner, finds a new study led by a
Michigan State University researcher.
Further, women who read all three books in the
blockbuster “Fifty Shades” erotic romance series
are at increased risk of engaging in binge drinking
and having multiple sex partners.
All are known risks associated with being in an
abusive relationship, much like the lead character,
Anastasia, is in “Fifty Shades,” said Amy Bonomi,
the study’s lead investigator. And while the study
did not distinguish whether women experienced
the health behaviors before or after reading the
books, it’s a potential problem either way, she
said.
“If women experienced adverse health behaviors
such as disordered eating first, reading ‘Fifty
Shades’ might reaffirm those experiences and
potentially aggravate related trauma,” said
Bonomi, chairperson and professor in MSU’s
Department of Human Development and Family
Studies.
“Likewise, if they read ‘Fifty Shades’ before
experiencing the health behaviors seen in our
study, it’s possible the books influenced the onset
of these behaviors.”
The study, which appears in the Journal of
Women’s Health, is one of the first to investigate
the relationship between health risks and reading
popular fiction depicting violence against women.
Past research has tied watching violent television
programs to real-life violence and antisocial
behaviors, as well as reading glamour magazines
to being obsessed with body image.
The researchers studied more than 650 women
aged 18-24, a prime period for exploring greater
sexual intimacy in relationships, Bonomi said.
Compared to participants who didn’t read the
book, those who read the first “Fifty Shades”
novel were 25 percent more likely to have a
partner who yelled or swore at them; 34 percent
more likely to have a partner who demonstrated
stalking tendencies; and more than 75 percent
more likely to have used diet aids or fasted for
more than 24 hours.
Those who read all three books in the series were
65 percent more likely than nonreaders to binge
drink – or drink five or more drinks on a single
occasion on six or more days per month – and
63 percent more likely to have five or more
intercourse partners during their lifetime.
Bonomi, who has a doctoral degree in health
services and a master’s in public health, said she
is not suggesting the book be banned or that
women should not be free to read whatever books
they wish or to have a love life.
However, it’s important women understand that
the health behaviors assessed in the study are
known risk factors for being in a violent
relationship. Toward that end, Bonomi said
parents and educators should engage kids in
constructive conversations about sexuality, body
image and gender role expectations – and that
these conversations start as early as grade
school.
Prevention programs can also be beneficial, such
as Safe Dates, which targets abuse prevention
through relationship skills training and gender role
examination.
Finally, kids and young adults should be taught to
consume fiction, television, movies, magazines
and other mass media with a critical eye, Bonomi
said.
“We recognize that the depiction of violence
against women in and of itself is not problematic,
especially if the depiction attempts to shed
serious light on the problem,” Bonomi said. “The
problem comes when the depiction reinforces the
acceptance of the status quo, rather than
challenging it.”
A previous study led by Bonomi found that "Fifty
Shades" perpetuated the problem of violence
against women.
Bonomi’s co-authors on the new study are
Julianna Nemeth, Lauren Altenburger, Anastasia
Snyder and Irma Dotto from Ohio State University
and Melissa Anderson from the Group Health
Research Institute in Seattle.
The “Fifty Shades” series has sold more than 100
million copies worldwide. A movie adaptation is
scheduled for release in early 2015.