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The ‘ideal’ of beauty today is a skewed one and one that is historically divergent from previously held views.  Previously, thinness was always considered synonymous with malnourishment, weakness, lack of prosperity and even suspect fecundity.

Consider the Venus Figurines, particularly Venus of Willendorf (pictured here) thought to date back about 35,000 years, which are considered to be some of the oldest ceramics known, and the earliest works of prehistoric art ever found.

Wide hips, a rounded belly and breasts were obviously prerequisites for the female form to be considered worthy of being worshiped as a fertility goddess or mother goddess.

Now contrast this with the pictures of models in recent times; most famously Isabelle Caro, who really put herself out there trying to get across the message of emaciation being tantamount to ill-health.

While Caro was trying to send across a crucial message, other skinny models that people the fashion and beauty industry send across a conflicting one. The fact that anorexic looking models are the ‘ideal’ constantly reinforces the message to young people today, that this is what one has to look like – this is beauty, this is what one should aspire to.

So clearly, skinny, anorexic models are responsible for at least some of the body image and self esteem issues that young girls face today?