Most Mannequins Are Still Skinny to the Point of Being 'Medically Unhealthy'

(Photo: Twitter / @tessloconcepts)If you've spent many a shopping trip wondering why the [...]

By Torie Jochims

mannequins
(Photo: Twitter / @tessloconcepts)

If you've spent many a shopping trip wondering why the mannequins have to be so small, you're not alone. And according to new research, the mannequins are skinny to the point of being unhealthy.

According to TODAY, the authors of the new study claim that 100 percent of the female mannequins they looked at represented underweight body sizes. In other words, if they were humans they would be "medically unhealthy," according to the study.

MORE: This Woman's 'Fat Girl' Friend Photo Says What Everyone Needs to Hear About Body Image

Rachel Rodgers, a body image expert and psychology professor at Northeastern University said she was not surprised by the results.

"It's another aspect of the way our fashion industry goes toward a very thin aesthetic," Rodgers said.

"We know that exposure to images of people who are very thin encourages people to try and pursue that type of body shape and size," Rodgers continued. "Because for most people it is unattainable by healthy measures, that can mean people will engage in risky behavior."

Unfortunately, the pervasive nature of this body image type can even lead to the development of eating disorders for some.

"It has been found that one of the driving pieces of an eating disorder has been the idea that one's appearance is a central part of one's identity," Rodgers said. "And images of very thin people and models reinforce this idea that this is something that is very important, and that there really is only one ideal appearance."

Thankfully, there's been a recent push to see a more diverse range of body types - in ads, on runways, and in stores. Hopefully, that trend keeps gaining momentum until no body type feels singled out or "less than" anymore.

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