Less (Model's Weight) is More (Population Overweight): Fashion Models and the Overweight Epidemic

53 Pages Posted: 30 Jan 2016

See all articles by Amir Heiman

Amir Heiman

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Dept. of Environmental Economics and Management

Oded Lowengart

Ben Gurion University

Daniel Shapira

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Date Written: November 30, 2015

Abstract

Advertisements that present the image of the slim figures of models, movie actors and celebs are often blamed in triggering anorexia. In this paper we suggest that the slim model effect on consumers’ weight is substantially greater than previously estimated due to its role in the emergence of overweight spread. We develop an economic model of rational consumer food consumption showing that the growing gap between the ideal and average figure has made the former irrelevant for most individuals. Thus, consumers now refer to the median weight rather than to the ideal one, as the latter has lost its restraining ability. We show that the lower weight of the ideal beauty figure interplayed with other factors (such as the increasing level of food industrialization) exhibits a form of overweight epidemic dynamics that is dominated by a multiplier effect. Based on large-scale historical datasets, we support our theoretical assertions by analyzing US population BMI’s over the past five decades vis-à-vis ideal beauty body-size proxies, while controlling for large sets of demographic variables and food industry data.

Keywords: Fashion models, the overweight epidemic, food consumption, ideal of beauty, reference points, Body Mass Index (BMI)

Suggested Citation

Heiman, Amir and Lowengart, Oded and Shapira, Daniel, Less (Model's Weight) is More (Population Overweight): Fashion Models and the Overweight Epidemic (November 30, 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2724079 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2724079

Amir Heiman

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Dept. of Environmental Economics and Management ( email )

P.O. Box 12
Rehovot, 76100
Israel

Oded Lowengart

Ben Gurion University ( email )

1 Ben-Gurion Blvd
Beer-Sheba 84105, 84105
Israel

Daniel Shapira (Contact Author)

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev ( email )

1 Ben-Gurion Blvd
Beer-Sheba 84105, 84105
Israel

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