The issues surrounding skinny models, diet and unhappy women are recurrent features in the news.

This combination was last featured in English newspapers when the editor of the British edition of Vogue brought the issue of ‘size zero’ models back into the public eye.

Maybe it was a slow news day, but the article featured on the front page of The Times, with a headline that read ‘New war on size-zero fashion’.

The most recent flurry was sparked by a letter from Alexandra Shulman (editor of Vogue), who wrote to scores of European and American designers, accusing them of making magazines hire skinny models by supplying “minuscule” garments for photo shoots.

This is not a new issue; in 2006 the Spanish Government made a rule that any girl with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18 would not be allowed to model in catwalk shows.

Every time the issue of skinny models (or size-zero models) is aired in the media, it is alleged that using extremely thin models to embody the world of fashion could have a wider ill effect on the health of women, particularly young women.

It has been claimed by some people in the fashion industry claimed that the majority of models are naturally thin.

Articles have been published in the paper press and on the Internet saying that any link between skinny models and anorexia is tenuous. The gist of these articles is that women do not look at a so-called celebrity and decide to copy their skinny appearance.

The opposing view holds that women, particularly those of a certain age or in some circumstances, do feel under pressure to conform to what the media present as attractive.

Professionals who work with women with eating disorders, do say that the influence of the fashion industry can be very powerful.

beat is the leading UK charity for people with eating disorders and their families. beat is the working name of the Eating Disorders Association, which continues to build on the strong foundations of the past 18 years of work.

Here is a quote from their spokesperson:

“Our position is that while the fashion industry doesn't directly cause eating disorders- it has a powerful influence that is highly toxic to some vulnerable young people. We call on them to recognise the responsibility they have to use this influence in positive, life enhancing ways. Fashion can be fantastic- creative, aspirational and fun. All aspects of the industry, and especially model agents and their scouts are ideally placed to bring about the change in attitudes and actions that a generation of young people deserve. Something's got to change!”

Very few would argue against the proposition that young women should grow up healthy and happy. That’s about the same as saying that we are in favour of fresh air, exercise and healthy living.

Taking the whole spectrum of women, it could be argued that while main stream fashion designers are producing clothes that look best on the very thin, those who are average size or above will be inclined to feel unhappy about their appearance. If fashionable clothes are designed for skinny models, and then sized up to fit the rest of us, it seems that the basic design is wrong. Clothes would be more flattering if they were originally conceived with a curvy figure in mind.

How small is Size Zero anyway? And how skinny is someone with a Body Mass Index(BMI) of 18?

The ‘size zero’ used as a point of discussion is US size 0, which is the same as UK size 4.

The average dress size of women in the UK is variously reported as either 14 or 18.

Getting personal, both of us (2patricias) wear UK size 10 and have a BMI of about 23.

We have calculated that Pat would need to loose approximately 2 stone (28 pounds) to get down to BMI 18. That would be 20% or one fifth of her current weight.

If she lost that much weight, she would not just look like a stick: she would look like an old stick.

We both want to look fashionable; but are not ready to dress like our mothers did. The result is that sometimes a shopping trip leaves us feeling unhappy.