Plus-Sized Models The Social Media Buzz But Psychiatrist Says That's Closer To The Healthy Norm
DETROIT (WWJ) - It's been the talk on Social Media this week - a plus-sized swimsuit model has cracked the pages of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue.
Beaumont psychiatrist Dr. Alexander Sacafeyo says the photo on the front cover of Lane Bryant is model Ashley Graham and she is actually a healthier depiction of women. Graham is a size 14 and Sacafeyo tells WWJ's Sandra McNeill that healthy women have curves:
"Healthy women usually have fat deposits around the chest and around the pelvis," said Sacafeyo. "Those fat deposts are very important for procreation - when we get to the point where we are requesting them to be pencil-like, without any curves, we are literally encouraging less health in woman."
Sacafeyo specializes in treating eating disorders. He says about 18 percent of women are sensitive to images of too-thin models and can develop eating disorders. It may not sound like much...but the numbers add up.
On our sister-station 97.1 The Ticket's Facebook page Joann Fater Foley commented "She is beautiful!" Steven Bloodworth added that she was "Gorgeous."
Others questioned whether she was actually plus-size. Saying she was 'just not emaciated' and another person said, "she'll poke your eye out with that clavicle."