Comment: Fashion photographer Adi Barkan has successfully campaigned to only allow women with a BMI above 18.5 to work as models in Israel. This is now the law, a first in the world. The move aims to ensure models are healthy and promote a culture of a healthy body image to young people who are inspired by them.

 

Eating disorders affect 1.6million people in the UK of which 89 % are women, according to charity Beat.

 

In the US, 46 % of girls from nine to 11 years old are following a diet, according to the National Eating Disorder Awareness Association (www.nedawareness.org).

 

Young people are exposed to idealised images in the media and can be influenced to follow extreme diets to look like models in the magazines.

 

‘Israel’s new law banning the hiring of anorexic models is a great leap forward for the fashion industry, by bringing to light how serious the issue of health in modelling really is,’ says supermodel Tyra Banks.

 

What do you think?

 

Original article: http://metro.co.uk/2013/05/13/will-israels-new-anorexia-law-be-the-model-for-our-fashion-industry-3754715/