Models and Eating Disorders

Models on the catwalk and in magazines are usually of an unhealthy weight, causing the consumers to believe that they have to look a certain way to feel accepted and classed as beautiful by society. Hence, the idea of looking this way takes over their way of thinking and attitudes towards food and exercise, and then if they believe they have not achieve the desired look and dieting and exercise have not worked for them, then eating disorders develop.  

Teenagers need to realize that society’s ideal body image is not achievable. The photos we see in magazines are not real either. Many people don’t realize that those photos have gone through many touch ups and have been air-brushed to make the models look perfect. Teenagers striving to attain society’s unattainable ideal image will just end up increasing their feelings of inadequacy. Teenagers are under a lot of pressure to be thin. They are lead to believe that the only way they can be accepted and fit in, is if they are thin.

Anorexia affects one in 10 of the female population and has the highest death rate of any mental health illness. Research conducted by the London School of Economics, has concluded that the eating disorder is a “socially transmitted disease” and a “potential epidemic” because of the widespread circulation of unrealistic body shapes in magazines. The fashion industry says it should be considered part of the solution and occasionally makes nods towards plus-sized models and self-esteem campaigns. But if they are genuine about that, they first need to stop denying they are part of the problem.

The fashion world’s outlook runs counter to everything we know about women’s bodies. The average size of a UK woman is 14 yet “sample sizes”, however the ones designers and stores send out to magazines are a tiny size 6 or less. Fashion editors, when defending their use of tiny models, say they have to employ them because they are at the mercy of the designers and the size of clothes they send out. These images are then used in the magazines, defying the purpose of the designers understanding the average size of a UK woman is 14.

The idea is for my magazine to only present healthy looking girls, ones that clearly do not have an eating disorder, and ones that are relatable for young girls to aspire to in a healthy way. This way young girls are given someone that they can look up to, aspire to be like that does not cause a drastic effect on their health.