Models With Eating Disorders

There are a number of fashion models with eating disorders and the way the media influence eating disorders can be significant in some cases. Experts disagree about the exact degree of impact media images have on the development of eating disorders but at least some fashion models have stated that the modeling industry affected the development of their eating disorders and people that read popular magazines may be more likely to develop eating disorders than those that have less exposure to images in the popular media.

How the Media Influence Eating Disorders

The media can influence the development of eating disorder in a number of ways.

• People view images of unnaturally thin women in the media and mistakenly believe they are of average weight and that such a low weight is healthy and desirable.
• Models with eating disorders become role models and viewers of the media emulate them. The average fashion model only weighs 117 pounds while the average American woman weighs 140 pounds. This may encourage women to lose weight even when they do not need to.
• The popular media, especially media aimed at women, frequently features articles about how to lose weight, many of which encourage fad diets that are not really healthy and promise to deliver fast results that are not very realistic. In this way, the media influence eating disorders by conveying false information to readers that suggests unhealthy eating habits are really healthy and good.
• Another way the media influence eating disorders is by featuring a large number of articles encouraging exercise for the purpose of improving one’s appearance. Of course exercise is a good and healthy thing but stressing the need to improve one’s appearance can put the focus on looks rather than health. Many people with eating disorders also exercise excessively and obsessively.

Why Models with Eating Disorders Are So Common

There are several reasons why models with eating disorders are so common, but it should be understood that not all models suffer from eating disorders and some models themselves disagree that the modeling industries encourages the development of eating disorders.

• Models are subject to all the ways in which the media influence eating disorders just like anyone else.
• Since the average fashion model is so thin, those that are not as thin often feel immense pressure to lose weight.
• Modeling agencies often encourage models to lose weight even when they are already underweight.
• Many models begin their careers at an early age when people are most subject to the development of eating disorders and beginning a modeling career can be quite stressful and it is known that stressful life events can trigger eating disorders in some people.
• Since eating disorders are common among models, they may encourage each other to engage in unhealthy eating habits.

Models with Eating Disorders

A large number of fashion models have suffered from eating disorders, including:

• Ana Carolina Reston – died from anorexia in 2006.
• Margo Hemmingway – died from bulimia.
• Imogen Bailey – suffered from anorexia.
• Christine Alt – developed an eating disorder after modeling agencies encouraged her to keep losing weight.
• Magali Amadei – suffered from bulimia.
• Sia Barbi – suffered from both anorexia and bulimia.
• Shane Barbi – suffered from both anorexia and bulimia.
• Kate Dillon – suffered from anorexia.
• Carrie Otis – nearly died from anorexia.
• Peta Wilson – says she developed an eating disorder due to pressure to lose weight from the modeling industry.

Many have spoken out publicly about their struggle and made an effort to educate the public about eating disorders.