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Hats off to Israel, whose government has taken the bull by the proverbials in banning use of underweight models on runways and in advertising.
Under new legislation, models will have to provide proof of their weight, and must not have a body mass index (BMI)—the ratio of weight to height—under 18.5. Advertisers will have to own up if the image has been altered to make a model look thinner.
"Beautiful is not underweight, beautiful should not be anorexic," said Rachel Adato, the Knesset member who pushed for the bill.
Good news for Israeli girls between 14 and 18, approximately two per cent of whom are said to suffer from eating disorders. At this age girls are heavily influenced by the industry, and it's hoped the new law will foster a healthier body image.
"I look (back) 15 to 20 years ago, we shot models (sized) 38. Today it's 24," said Israeli model agent and fashion photographer, Adi Barkan, who helped promote the bill. "This is the difference between thin and too thin. This is the difference between death and life."
Not everyone is happy with the change, though. Some models are naturally very thin, and weight may not necessarily be an indicator of disordered eating.
Eli Edri of the Roberto Models Agency told Haaretz newspaper that basing a law on BMI alone is "arbitrary," as some healthy models would be discounted. Top Israeli model Adi Neumman is one such model, who despite eating well and exercising, has a BMI of just 18.3.
Should other governments follow suit? Is this a step in the right direction, or a misguided attempt to control the fashion industry?