Welcome to Part 2 of the Thin Model Issue here on Belle IQ. My goal with this series is to present you with research findings, a clear and concise timeline, and my personal opinions on the “skinny model debate”. At any point in time, I encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments section — all points of view are welcome, of course.
To my knowledge, none of the media articles or news coverage of the “skinny model debate” acknowledged previous research on the health and eating habits of models. (The one exception is during July 2007 when one study — my thesis — received Canadian media coverage. Thank you, Canadian journalists.) There were certainly some valid and informative ideas and opinions offered up in some of the news reports; however, it is uncommon and unwise for health-focused news articles to overlook health research. While quotes and anecdotal evidence certainly have their place in news articles, they should occur alongside scientific research findings.
So, while the media went to town on the topic of models and eating disorders, I went to the library. Below is a brief summary of the existing research on the health of models. All of these studies were published in peer-reviewed academic journals.
Socio-cultural factors in the development of anorexia nervosa
(Garner and Garfinkel, 1980, Psychological Medicine)
- compared ballet dancers and modelling students (some enrolled for self-improved, some to pursue a modelling career) to normal weight control subjects and patients with anorexia nervosa
- anorexia nervosa was found to be more common in dance and modelling students compared to other women of a similar age and social class
- therefore, pressure to be slim was identified as a risk factor in the development of anorexia nervosa in dance and modelling students
Gender differences in eating attitudes, body concept, and self-esteem among models
(Brenner & Cunningham, 1992, Sex Roles)
- despite female models being underweight and the comparison group being within recommended weight ranges, similar levels of disordered eating behaviour existed between the two groups
- self-esteem of female models was higher than that of the female comparison group, but the self-esteem of male models and the male comparison group did not differ (suggesting that embodying the cultural ideal of beauty is associated with enhanced self-esteem among women more than among men)
- female models tended to view low body weights as more ideal than the female comparison group (though, as stated above, no difference in disordered eating behaviour between the groups)
Eating disorders in models: Fiction or fact?
(van Hanswijk de Jonge & van Furth, 1999, European Eating Disorders Review)
- study did not draw conclusions due to methodological problems (low response rate), but 50 female models did complete the questionnaire
- female models were found to be significantly underweight, but no cases of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa were identified
- “Perhaps the [...] absence of research evidence supporting the popular unfounded conviction of an increased prevalence of eating disorders among the modelling population tells us more about the culture and attitudes of the researchers than of the subjects they describe,” wrote the authors.
Are fashion models a group at risk for eating disorders and substance abuse
(Santonastaso, Mondini, & Favaro, 2002, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics)
- full-syndrome eating disorders did not differ between female fashion models and the comparison group
- eating attitudes of the model group were not significantly more pathological than those of the comparison group
- despite weighing significantly less than the comparison sample, only a small percentage of models used unhealthy methods to control their weight
- therefore, fashion modelling was not a risk factor for full-syndrome eating disorders
Why did none of this research get mentioned in the media?
There are a lot more details about each of these studies that I didn’t have room for, but if you have questions please post in the comments section and I’ll gladly respond.
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