Thread: Banning Too-Thin Models: Right Move, Wrong Approach, Say Experts

WASHINGTON—
French lawmakers' move to ban ultra-skinny models is the right mission, but the wrong approach, say advocates in the fight against eating disorders.

France's lower house of parliament Friday passed a measure that would forbid anyone with a body mass index (BMI) below a certain level to work as a model.

"In the bill, I suggest that from now on, a model must go through a medical visit before she is hired, which would evaluate the body mass index, which is calculated by dividing the weight over the height squared," said Olivier Veran, the Socialist parliament member behind the legislation.

"I suggest that the medical certificate for work ability cannot be delivered to people who are undernourished and who, therefore, are putting their life and health in danger," he said.

Fashion houses and modeling agencies could face a fine up to $85,000 and six months in prison if they defy the ban and continue to employ models deemed too thin.

It is unclear what BMI would become the French standard. A similar measure regulating models in Israel mandates a BMI of 18.5 or higher. In 2006, Madrid Fashion Week organizers banned any model with a BMI below 18, after a 22-year-old model from Uruguay died of a heart attack attributed to anorexia.

More here: Banning Too-Thin Models: Right Move, Wrong Approach, Say Experts

I failed an employment physical at age 21 because my weight was under the minimum the County had prescribed for my height, and I've never had an eating disorder and had never been sick. It took a doctor, a psychologist (to rule out an eating disorder) and a threat of litigation to get it waived. Some people, especially young ones are naturally thin, and it has nothing to do with any eating disorder. The only cure I found came naturally at about age 30.

Had my father not had the resources to hire the doctor, psychologist and attorney it would have affected my career, including the pension that supports my lifestyle here.

This typical nanny state legislation is both foolish, arbitrary and discriminatory.

^Those height/weight charts are useless and are meant only to be used as a guideline.

I am 5'10" and generally weigh around 185lbs. When I was doing daily, heavy weightlifting in my 30's and 40's, I would be up over 190 lbs.

I had hassles with my work physicals because their charts said I should be 150-160 lbs, which I hadn't been since High School.

I finally had to get private body fat assessments done before each physical to shut them up - even though a moron could have taken one look at me and known I was anything but overweight.

That said, I've known several fashion models, and they all starved themselves and had horrible eating habits.

Yet another one size fits all prescription by those who feel neglected due to their figures...sad this world.

A French dictatorship gone mad with righteousness.

Considering Obesity is a world problem now, and is causing many health problems.

Surely the french could a created a positive spin on the models, and started a programme of healthy eating, and set a size acceptable for the modelling business.

Not all models have eating disirders.

Some of them chain smoke and use cocaine or heroin to stay thin.

When it comes to models being so underweight they don't even menstruate, it's really unhealthy.

Come to think of it, fashion modeling doesn't seem to promote a healthy lifestyle in general.

Originally Posted by misskit

Some of them chain smoke and use cocaine or heroin to stay thin.

Sounds like the perfect female companion for me... Edgy!!!

I've been skinny/underweight for my height all my life. And i eat normally. It runs in my family. All of us are tall and slim.

But i must admit some of those models do look scrawny and ill. And in the need of a good bath!!

Originally Posted by ltnt

Originally Posted by misskit

Some of them chain smoke and use cocaine or heroin to stay thin.

Sounds like the perfect female companion for me... Edgy!!!

That's not edgy....

Originally Posted by BobR

Instead of worrying about body mass index the law should specifically target eating problems.

How do you see that happening, exactly?

Originally Posted by thaimeme

That's not edgy....

To each their own...your version no doubt thaimeme,