15 May 2022

'Slim-thick' body type more dangerous than ultra-thin

From Sunday Morning, 8:40 am on 15 May 2022

The 'thin' ideal has long been identified as a threat to girls' body image, but new research has shown that there is an even more dangerous body type than 'ultra-thin' - and we have Kim Kardashian to thank for it. Researchers at York University in Toronto recently conducted a study looking at how pervasive imagery of the 'slim-thick ideal' - an exaggerated hourglass shape which has been popularised by celebrities like Kardashian, Beyoncé, and Kylie Jenner - contributes to young women's dissatisfaction with their body. They found that the 'slim-thick' body type is actually more harmful than the 'Heroin chic' era of the 1990s. Study co-author Jennifer Mills, a registered clinical psychologist, is with us to discuss the study and the dangers associated with the 'slim-thick' body shape.

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Photo: RNZ