Israel bans anorexic models

Interesting! As to a BMI of less than 18.5 not necessarily meaning one is anorexic, I suppose that as well as being concerned about the model, they're concerned about the role model to younger teens.

I could be really sceptical and say that the government is just concerned about the level of health and fitness amongst its future conscripts, but thats not really fair, since it was apparently introduced by an MP who had been a gynaecologist - and its undoubtedly true that extremely low weight is as risky for a pregnant mother as obesity. And its also true that people die from the results and complications of anorexia, awful, wasting disease.

I like that it includes photoshopping etc - thats the technique thats most used in magazines, and its the magazines that most youngsters see most frequently, not the catwalk.

I am not a fan of using BMI as if it were scientific in some way. It may be a useful shorthand but it has no real scientific value, and quite the contrary can be truly misleading.

Like this study: http://www.slate.com/articles/healt...are_overweight_people_less_likely_to_die.html

That reaches a false conclusion because it is based on BMI. Sure, you're going to have a lower BMI if you're wasting away from an illness, the study should have controlled for things like that rather than merely looking for a BMI to lifespan correlation.

Agreed - it can be replicated (its weight divided by height, or the other way round, isn't it?) so its scientific. Those limitations are well known too, although to be honest, I think they mostly operate at the other end of the scale - the famous anomaly (famous amongst women, anyway, lol) is that George Clooney counted as obese, at one time, on the BMI analysis. And, as a person of the female persuasion, I can tell you right now that George Clooney isn't obese, has never been obese.

Seriously, if the Israelis have managed to get something on the statute books to curb the wilder excesses of photoshopping and young women who simply don't eat unless they're fainting with hunger, then good for them. I'm still puzzled about the timing, given the number and depth of problems that they're dealing with.

myp said:

BMI is often used scientifically. Those that use it properly know its limitations including ones that you point to... But to say it has no scientific value is not true.

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It is simply not scientific. It doesn't have any more basis or use in science than any arbitrary ratio. It is, in fact, very misleading at times, as is evident in that pernicious Harvard study that just came out.

This collides with my political greatness. I dont know what to say. I hate the social norm for teens, but its hard not to support the market. I think in this instance, I would side with banning it (besides, they can always get fatter!)