Purpose of Paper/Introduction/Background a. This paper will review the psychological influences on eating. It will start with an explanation of the relationship between the mind and body and examine how humans form a developmental point of view and how eating habits are formed in childhood. The paper will also examine influences that serve to alienate adults, including cultural and social influences in the postmodern world, and the problems that develop because of this. The paper will examine the existential elements of this process and the long-term chronic mental and physical health problems that are pervasive in American society. Finally the paper will conclude with a review of current solutions to these problems and an evaluation of these programs and possible alternative solutions. b. This is a significant and important paper because eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and obesity as well as other diet related problems are becoming epidemic in the United States. While there are many proposed solutions that drive a multibillion-dollar industry, there do not appear to be many viable solutions. The problem of obesity has become so pervasive that drastic measures such as intestinal bypass surgeries are now almost commonplace despite the high risk. The media has created an ideal body image that can endanger the health of many young women as models and actresses strive to be thinner and thinner. This paper will examine psychological influences, rather than the usual quest to find the diet du juer. It will look to the inner dynamics of the person instead of looking for external fixes in the form of diets, surgeries, or gurus with the right answer. The hypothesis is that if a person can find what motivates them, they can take responsibility for the way they eat and in turn their health. As both a Clinical and Health Psychologist this information can be used with clients to help them find ways to understand and manage their eating behaviors and their health. c. This paper will examine the mind body relationship and the influences of the mind, family, culture, and the media on the way humans choose the food they eat. It will examine current trends in body image and eating disorders and the forces that influence these trends. Finally it will look at the solutions available to deal with the current health crisis due to these eating disorders and examine solutions to what is actually an existential crisis. 3. Literature Review • How We Mind Our Hunger or How Our Psyche Determines How We Eat • Influences in Childhood • Ethnic and Cultural Influences 4. Psychological Influences • Existential Issues • Cognitive/Behavioral Issues 5. Eating Disorders 6. Media Influences 7. How the Media Influences Body Image 8. Solutions 9. Conclusion 10. References Bermudez, O. I., & Tucker, K. L. (2004). Cultural aspects of food choices in various communities of elders. Generations, 28(3), 22-27. Bevir, M. (2004). The unconscious in social explanation. Philosophical Psychology, 17(2), 181-207. Carl, W. J. (2007). Brains, bodies, beliefs, and behavior. Cross Currents, 51-68, 51-68. Chung, S. J., Hoerr, S., Levine, R., & Coleman, G. (2006). Processes underlying young women''s decisions to eat fruits and vegetables. The British Dietetic Association, 19, 287-298.