{"id":17607,"date":"2013-11-05T10:52:44","date_gmt":"2013-11-05T10:52:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.talentmanagement.com\/blog\/?p=17607"},"modified":"2013-11-05T10:52:45","modified_gmt":"2013-11-05T10:52:45","slug":"can-this-realistic-barbie-stop-eating-disorders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.talentmanagement.com\/blog\/2013\/11\/can-this-realistic-barbie-stop-eating-disorders\/","title":{"rendered":"Can This Realistic Barbie Stop Eating Disorders?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Can<\/a>
Can this realistic Barbie stop eating disorders<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An artist in Pittsburgh, Pa. called Nickolay Lamm has created a realistic Barbie based on the measurements of an average 19-year-old American girl from CDC data.<\/p>\n

Barbie\u00a0is known for having incredibly unrealistic measurements – some even try to emulate it such as model<\/a>\u00a0Valeria Lukyonova dubbed ‘The Human Barbie’<\/a>. This barbie is much shorter and broader with a noticeable smaller head, thicker neck and wider stomach. Nickolay created this ‘Average Barbie’ to show people that average is beautiful and present young girls with an image of body proportions that aren’t completely ridiculous.<\/p>\n

\"Average<\/a>
Average Barbie compared to Mattel Barbie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIf Barbie looks good as an average woman and even there\u2019s a small chance of Barbie influencing young girls, why can\u2019t we come out with an average sized doll?\u201d Lamm said to\u00a0TIME<\/em>. \u201cAverage is beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Others have also drawn attention to how far removed from reality the Mattel Barbie is such as Mexican artist Eddi Aguirre who drew Barbie without make up and brace-faced:<\/p>\n

\"Barbie<\/a>
Barbie Without Makeup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rehabs.com also put together an interesting\u00a0infographic\u00a0(see bottom of post)\u00a0that illustrated how far removed from reality the Mattel Barbie is. Her feet are so miniature and her ankles so tiny that she wouldn’t actually be able to stand and would have to crawl around on all fours! Her neck is also so long and thin that she wouldn’t even be able to lift her head.<\/p>\n

Apparently Mattel’s Slumber Party Barbie, released in the 1960s, came with a scale permanently stuck at 110 pounds (a tiny 7 and a half stone), and a small book titled “How to Lose Weight,” whose only advice inside was “Don’t eat!”\u00a0According to the Daily Mail, Mattel dropped the scale from\u00a0Slumber Party Barbies produced the next year, but the diet book lingered on until at least 1967.<\/p>\n

\"Slumber<\/a>
Slumber party Barbie’s diet advice<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Slumber<\/a>
Slumber Party Barbie’s diet advice – DON’T EAT!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some people have welcomed the new realistic version of Barbie, while others are not so keen…<\/p>\n

“I love it! I can’t wait to see the next editions, with a variety of skin and hair colors :)” one reader commented.<\/p>\n

“Isn’t this promoting that being overweight is it ok? Because it is not ok at all.. When I walk on the street, I can see more overweight people than skinny. I see children overweight, it is not right at all.. These children will not have good health on their future…” commented another female reader.<\/p>\n

Dalia, owner of Norfolk Brides, hopes that the new Barbie might be able to help stop eating disorders: “All girls should be aware of this and barbies should be banned or made to look more realistic – they are the reason why most of the eating disorders begin and damages young girls confidence + distorts the image of what REAL & healthy body should look like…”<\/p>\n

Can this realistic Barbie stop eating disorders or do you think it is promoting obesity?Which Barbie do you prefer? Let us know.<\/p>\n