The average model is a size 0 or 2. It has been said that if the industry gets a model bigger than a size 4 she is not going to fit the clothes, because clothes look better on thin people (USA, 2006). Naturally, most people are not a size 0 or 2. Especially when their height is expected to be at least 5’9. Even models that are on the shorter side, say 5’9 are weighing around 100 pounds. The average woman who is 5’9 weighs between 150 and 170 pounds. Clearly these women are malnourished in order to maintain an extremely unrealistic weight and body. A lot of people take the BMI (body mass index) into consideration when determining what is an appropriate weight for their height. According to the World Health Organization, a BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight and unhealthy (TIME, 2006). Taking the previous example of an average 5’9 model who weights one hundred pounds, her BMI would be extremely below an 18.5. Doctors exclaim that an adult woman is at extreme risk to develop serious health issues if her BMI falls below 18 (International Debate, 2010). A few examples of health issues that may arise are osteoporosis and the loss of a menstrual cycle. This could eventually lead to the woman being unable to reproduce. If models were given a minimum weight requirement by the industry, they would be healthy and not have to worry about health disorders based on their weight. It would also project a realistic image to young girls who look up to these models.