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A new report that came out in the January issue of PLUS Model magazine offers disturbing insight into the disparity between our society's models and the real-life women they are purporting to represent. The full story, shown here: https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/01/11/new-magazine-editorial-highlights-shocking-differences-between-plus-size-and/ has found that 50 percent of women today wear size 14 and above. Conversely, models who wear a size 6 are considered on the "heavy" side, not to mention, most standard retail outlets today only cater to sizes 14 and below.

According to Judy Scheel, Ph.D., executive director of Cedar Associates, an eating disorder clinic in Westchester County, New York and New York City, this kind of disparity can go a long way to damaging young girls' ideas of what it is to be beautiful, or even normal. "Our society is so obsessed with celebrities, glamour and beautiful people, and this has given so many young girls a skewed idea of what normal, and healthy, beauty really is," said Dr. Scheel. "The perception that to be beautiful means to be thin has increasingly been a catalyst for many eating disorders that are now developing in young girls - even as young as seven or eight."

It is reported that more than half a million teens have had an eating disorder, most commonly in the form of binge eating disorder and bulimia, and that most of the time these go untreated. Before this gets more out of control, Dr. Scheel, who is also author of a recent book When Food is Family, that addresses eating disorders in families, says it's critical for parents to talk to their kids about eating disorders as early as possible, and be open to the possibility their kids (or they) may have an unhealthy relationship with food.

"Parents don't often want to believe their child might be suffering from an eating disorder, or may see their behaviors as 'just a phase;' however, eating disorders are often an outward expression of real turmoil, depression or confusion that is happening internally," said Dr. Scheel. "For parents, it becomes critical to get their kids talking about their feelings, rather than focus on what they are or aren't eating. By addressing what is at the root of the issue will go a long way to start the recovery process."

Dr. Scheel added that this recent report shows how much our society does not support the idea of normal, healthy weight. "When young girls see that we as a society value external beauty - versus accomplishments of valor, tenacity and kindness - we have created a skewed image of beauty and perfection overall, and have made eating disorders a more likely substitute for those looking to fit in or be perfect," added Dr. Scheel. "Though many issues underlie eating disorders, relationships are affected when a person has one, and in fact, food often becomes the substitute for real relationships. Repairing and strengthening relationships is key in recovery, and a foundation for developing health self-image."

The report went on to state that what are considered "plus-size" models today (size 12-16), are actually the size that many models such as Christie Brinkley, Paulina Porizkova and Cindy Crawford were at the height of their fame in the 1990s.