When Kate Moss revealed in a recent interview that one of her mottoes is the phrase "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels", a number of people contacted me to ask my response to this in light of my Skinny Mummies post.
In case you haven't read my post, it basically says that I use to be a skinny mummy and now I'm a healthy one which I feel makes me a much better role model for my daughter. The same would apply if had a son because boys get eating disorders too and their number is, in fact, on the increase. Child do as you do, not as you do, so trying to be skinny while expecting them to eat a healthy, balanced diet is a fast route to disaster.
Then, despite all the work that many eating disorders charities have done to prevent the descent into anorexia (and bulimia) for many young people, and their efforts to influence opinion on the size zero debate, comes the comment from Kate Moss, who is more influential when it comes to fashion and body size than most women on the planet.
Much has been written about Ms Moss's comment in the newspapers and in the blogosphere. Metropolitan Mum writes an excellent post here. A spokesperson from Ms Moss's modelling agency Storm argues that the quote has been taken out or context and Kate has been misrepresented.
Of course they are going to say that. They will be doing everything in their power to protect the Kate brand. They have done it before.
But the fact remains that Kate's particular motto has been a 'size zero' slogan for some time. It is one that many eating disorder sufferers use and it one now branded across far too many pro-anorexia websites to mention. It is now being used by eating disorders on a daily basis to try and prevent themselves from eating.
Kate is a 'thinspirational' pin-up on these sites. Her image has been used as a motivator for eating disorder sufferers for decades and Kate will know this. That is why any 'size zero' motto from Kate is worse than from anyone else, added to this is the fact that she is a role model for young girls, she is hugely influential, she designs teenage clothes for Top Shop, she has a young daughter.
Her comment is therefore highly irresponsible and the damage is done, sadly.
There is a difference of course between skinny and emaciated, but many girls (and boys) who are struggling to cope with life go in search of skinny and end up emaciated. Eating disorders affect 1.6 million people in the UK.
So what does skinny feel like?
It doesn't taste good.
The best person to tell you what skinny feels like is my dear friend Natasha. She was underweight for years and experienced osteoporosis, broken bones, thinning hair,stomach cramps, fainting spells, depression, confusion and a whole range of other physical and emotional complaints that all resulted from her inability to eat.
It doesn't feel good and it does not look good either. I know, I've been there.
Natasha set out to experience skinny. She died from anorexia two years ago, aged 34.
You see, Kate, skinny doesn't taste good.
Healthy tastes much better. I can vouch for that.
