Lifeofamodel.com have reported that skinny models had to take a body mass index test before being approved to strut their stuff on the catwalks in Madrid's Fashion Week. Kelly England comments 'As we on Lifeofamodel.com feel strongly that models should not need to be half starved to be attractive or indeed successful, we are very pleased by this announcement. It is a step in the right direction!'
Height weight ratio
AOL reported that the organisers of Madrid Fashion Week announced they only want people with a healthy image to strut their stuff.The Association of Fashion Designers of Spain says it wants models at the Pasarela Cibeles to project "an image of beauty and health" and shun a gaunt, emaciated look.
They were turning away models whose body mass index - a measure of their weight in relation to their height - is below 18. If it is below 18, they were excluded and offered medical help. The World Health Organisation says a woman is underweight if she has a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5 - and that a BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is desirable.
However, disappointingly organiser's of London & New York Fashion Week have not followed in the same footsteps.
There was praise and doubt from Dr Beckie Lang of the Obesity Resource Information Centre. She said: "Portraying a healthy BMI has to be encouraged because that will help protect people's health.The Association of Fashion Designers of Spain said that last year 30 per cent of the women flunked the BMI test.
Last year's show drew protests from medical associations and women's advocacy groups because some of the models were positively bone-thin.
Reported by Kelly Englandkelly@lifeofamodel.com
