News Release

2007-07-11 09:50:07

UW study dispels common myth about models and eating disorders

WATERLOO, Ont. (Wednesday, July 11 2007) -- A University of Waterloo student has produced a study that challenges the myth that the risk of developing disordered eating habits is higher among models than non-models.

Jennifer McWhirter, a health studies student and a model with a Toronto agency, produced the Model and Undergraduate Self-Esteem (MUSE) study for an honours thesis supervised by professor Kelly Anthony.

While some models might have eating disorders, the MUSE study concludes that they represent a small minority within the population. Most models surveyed reported considerable happiness and satisfaction with themselves, their appearance and the industry.

"Models are often perceived as malnourished and abusive toward their bodies," says McWhirter. "According to my results, however, those in the modelling industry are not any more likely to develop eating disorders than those who are not."

McWhirter conducted an online survey that contained questions based on body image, self-esteem, eating habits and exercise behaviours. The 339 participants consisted of female models and non-models in their early- to mid-twenties. Models were recruited from Toronto and Montreal agencies, and more than half had international modelling experience. Non-models were made up of a sample of UW undergraduate students.

The deaths of models Luisel Ramos and Ana Carolina Reston in 2006 sparked global controversy and initiated an ongoing skinny-model debate. Since both died as a result of eating disorders, many people jumped to the conclusion that the pressures of modelling had sparked their behaviour.

Officials in Madrid, Spain have since issued minimum age and body mass index (BMI, which measures the ratio height-to-weight ratio) requirements to models. Other countries, such as Italy and France, followed suit to varying degrees.

Despite constant media coverage and debate regarding the physical appearance of models, however, few people have heard from the models. In fact, no academic research has sought to ask Canadian models how they feel about their bodies.

Low self-esteem is often a key contributor to disordered eating habits but, according to the MUSE study, models have higher self-esteem than non-models. As they are more likely to be satisfied with their appearance, models were significantly more comfortable referring to themselves as beautiful.

Furthermore, an overwhelming 93 per cent of models reported that modelling was a positive contributor to their overall lives rather than a stressful factor leading to unhealthy behaviours.

So why are models so thin?

Although the BMI of the MUSE study models classified them as underweight, with an average score of 17.4, their eating and exercising habits did not differ from those of the non-models who averaged a normal BMI of 22.7. In fact, more than 80 per cent of both groups scored well within the normal, healthy range for eating behaviours.

With 74 per cent claiming they did not have to lose any weight to begin their career in modelling, McWhirter's results suggest models are thin naturally and likely don't attain their physiques through extreme and unhealthy habits.

"This is an impressive bit of scholarship, well above what's expected from an undergraduate student and much more in-line with what we see at the graduate level," says Anthony, a member of the faculty of applied health sciences. "This is the first significant study done in Canada on this important issue."

The MUSE study findings, that models have higher self-esteem but not higher rates of disordered eating behaviour, suggest that minimum BMI requirement set out by some model bans may not accurately measure a model's health. "Possessing a certain body type cannot and should not be equated with having an eating disorder," says McWhirter.

Resources

Contacts:

Jennifer McWhirter, UW applied health sciences, 519-208-2881 or
jemcwhir@uwaterloo.ca

Kelly Anthony, UW applied health sciences, 519-888-4567 ext. 32802

Michael Strickland, UW media relations, 519-888-4777

UW news release no. 63

2007-07-11 09:50:07