Glossy magazines,the right angles, air-brushing and careful lighting sometimes give celebrities the image that they live in a picture-perfect, wrinkle-free, not-an-inch-more world of perfection.
The result can wreak havoc on the self-esteem of women of average proportions, who may begin to wonder if there is something seriously wrong with their physical appearances because they do not possess a size zero body, perfectly straight and white teeth, glossy sleek hair and flawless skin.
Famous personalities such as Calista Flockhart, Kate Beckingsale, Kelly Clarkson and even Princess Diana have admitted they have has eating disorders before.
The fashion industry in particular bears much of the blame for encouraging the notion that 'thin is beautiful.' As supermodel Kate Moss once famously said: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels."
Such obsession with weight can lead to dangerous eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa.
The anorexia suffer consumes just 600 to 800 calories per day (the average recommended calorie intake is 1,800 to 2,000 calories), and extreme cases of complete self-starvation are known.
Anorexia, in addition to causing a host of health complications such as heart, kidney, gastro-intestinal and fertility issues, has one of the highest rates of mortality for any psychiatric condition.
Bulimia - characterised by binge eating then purging by vomiting, taking laxatives or excessive exercise - can cause cardiac arrest, infertility, dehydration and erode the teeth.
Read on to find out which celebrities suffered from eating disorders, and what it did to their bodies.
| Famous people suffering from eating disorders Click on thumbnail to view. Story continues after photos. (Photos: Reuters, Internet, EMI, AFP, ST) | ||||
 |  |  | ||
 |  |  | ||
 |  |  | ||
 |  |  | ||
 |  |  | ||
 |  |  | ||
 |  |  | ||
 |  |  | ||
 |  |  | ||
