Models Are Doing This To Meet BMI Requirements

It seemed like great news when France, Israel, and Italy mandated stricter weight restrictions in an attempt to ban models that are considered to be too skinny. However, The New York Observer spoke with a model named Lauren who told them that in order to meet weight requirements, models are adding weights to their hair and body. "They gave us Spanx underwear to stuff with weighted sandbags so the thinnest of girls had a 'healthy' weight on the scales," Lauren said. "I even saw them put weights in their hair."

Another model named Lyndsey Scott opened up to Cosmopolitan to criticize the new mandate, saying, “Bodies naturally come in all shapes and sizes, thin and otherwise. Even people with eating disorders can have a so-called healthy BMI.” Scott definitely has a point. Having a BMI standard doesn't necessarily guarantee that all models who meet the requirements are healthy. At the same time, some models who don't could be naturally thin with fast metabolisms.

While there are a lot of issues that are being raised, it should be acknowledged that the weight requirement was mandated with good intentions. France meant well as was hoping to promote a more body positive image in their media and the high fashion industry. However, what they and the world are learning now is that the situation is much more complex and requires more work than just having a BMI requirement. There is going to need to be a lot more research conducted before countries like France can implement a law like this.

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