I would like to think that this site more than any other modelling website concerns itself with knowledge. I would like to believe that you aren't only here because you want to look at pretty pictures. I especially would like to believe that the models reading this page do so because they treat modelling as a business, and want to arm themselves with knowledge.
That's why I felt it was important to support The Muse Study right from the start. Conducted by University of Waterloo student Jennifer McWhirter as an honours thesis, the study took an academic approach to exploring some of the more common industry stereotypes. If there were problems with models and the way they view themselves I would rather start looking for solutions than ignoring the problems. Fortunately however, Canadian models appear to be healthy and well-adjusted.
Modelresource is the first media to publish these results, which looked at female models at least 18 years old, represented by at least one Toronto or Montréal agency. Most models that participated in the study had international modelling experience.
Among the highlights:
93% of models indicated that overall they felt modelling had a positive effect on them.
81% of models were either currently enrolled at university or college, or had already completed their post-secondary studies (that number is above the national average, and somewhat surprising considering the travel demands placed on international models).
Models had significantly higher self-esteem than non-models.
Models agreed significantly more frequently than non-models that, overall, they were happy with their physical appearance and were significantly more comfortable describing themselves as "beautiful"
74% of models did not have to lose weight to begin modelling and 65% did not have to lose weight to continue modelling.
67% of models did not have to change their eating or exercise habits to begin modelling and 34% did not have to change them to continue modelling.
Eating attitudes and disordered eating behaviour did not differ significantly between models and non-models.
Jennifer McWhirter,
by David Hou
One alarming stat, at least on the surface, found 19% of models were smokers, compared with just 3% of undergraduate students. Put in perspective however, the national smoking average (as of 2005) was 22%.
I had a chance to sit down with the study's author just hours after receiving the summary. McWhirter says she isn't surprised by the results. "Past studies, before doing the research, hypothesized models would have more eating disorders even though there were no facts backing that up. Based on what they ended up finding I figured eating disorders among models wouldn't show up in greater numbers in this study."
Now a model herself, having signed with B&M, McWhirter hopes to continue her research, conducting one-on-one interviews with models. "There's more research to be done, and I want to do it," she says insistently. "Agencies may be more likely to work with me this time since they know I'm not out to get them."
Access to models was a bit of an obstacle for the 24-year-old, since agencies were often the gatekeepers between researcher and subjects. A pre-worded e-mail was sent to agencies with instructions about how to participate. From there it was up to them whether they chose to forward the message to their models.
In total, McWhirter says she is very happy with how many models did take part, although numbers of male models, plus-size models and modelling students were too low to be added to the comparison.
The Muse Study concludes that models are "not at high risk for disordered eating behaviour, despite being much thinner than the comparison sample." It goes on to suggest models "maintain thin builds without compromising eating or exercising excessively."
It also speculates the skinny model controversy was fuelled by a lack of facts. "The bans and guidelines that were issued and the committees that brainstormed them, have thus far failed to involve models in the decision making process, and perhaps even proceeded with their decision making without sufficient research about them. That the average BMI of the models is below the cut-off issued by one such "skinny model ban" (i.e., Spain's) together with the finding that disordered eating behaviour does not differ from a comparison sample whose BMI was considerably higher, suggests that such guidelines should be revised.
McWhirter doesn't believe all is rosy in the industry however. Through both her own modelling experience when she was a teenager and her academic studies, McWhirter believes models do not get enough support in the areas of health and fitness. "Agencies don't give the tools, especially to the young ones. They should be paying closer attention to the people they work with."
Due to an insufficient number of male models, plus size models, and modelling students participating in the study, analysis of these groups is on hold until a larger sample size can be obtained. The MUSE researchers are currently looking to recruit more participants in these categories – if interested, please contact musestudy@gmail.com.
The researcher is also looking to interview models for more in-depth research analysis. If interested, please contact musestudy@gmail.com.
Please contact the researchers for limitations about the study.
The full executive summary and news release are included here for your information.
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