A war against waifish supermodels has been declared by the British government, which claims the fashionable ultra-thin look has turned healthy women into sickly basket cases.
Britain’s Women’s Unit fired the first shot by ordering top fashion and modeling bosses to a “super-waif summit” to discuss rising mental and health problems faced by young women as they try to slim down.
The organization fears the majority of girls are obsessed with physical perfection – fueled by the multibillion-dollar beauty industry.
Officials say the looks of reed-thin models like Kate Moss and Posh Spice Victoria Beckham encourage girls to starve themselves, leading to mental illness, lack of confidence and self-harm.
The summit, to be held in June, will also explore the theory that the intense focus on beauty explains why many women are underachievers on the job.
“The idea of a summit emerged after young girls told us about the strong pressures they feel about the need to be slim,” Tessa Jowell, Britain’s Employment and Education Minister, told the London Express.
“We want … an end to the tyranny of thinking that the only way to be beautiful is to be thin.
“Anorexia is the third most chronic prevalent illness in teenage girls, and one in 100 have bulimia. I hope we can begin to change the culture and make young girls feel more confident.”
She said many young women lose faith in themselves after leaving school, and suffer depression, anxiety and feelings of inadequacy, prompted by concerns about appearance.
Health pros such as Princess Diana’s former therapist Susie Orbach will attend the summit. She’ll discuss the debilitating effects of eating disorders, lack of confidence, and self-loathing on women.
The meeting follows interviews with more than 500 young people between 13 and 25 years old to discuss their biggest concerns.
Another study by Exeter University shows that among 37,000 girls, 57.5 percent of 14- to 15-year-olds regarded their appearance as their biggest concern.
The Women’s Unit wants more women’s mags to copy the example of Jump!, which recently ran a “Curvy Girl of the Year Competition.”
It also wants modeling agencies to stop promoting dangerously underweight models whose images encourage girls to diet obsessively.
British ministers also may draft regulations to force modeling agencies to use people with normal body shapes.