People don’t starve themselves -- ads do. Really?

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So France is pondering whether to fine and imprison people who use advertisements, products or weight-loss methods to encourage ‘excessive thinness.’ Fashion editors and designers are considered the target.

The move is part of a backlash against the fashion world’s glorification of ultra-thin bodies, a response to the 2006 starvation deaths of two models. But much of this debate seems outdated.

As the National Eating Disorders Assn. says: Eating disorders are complex conditions that arise from a combination of long-standing behavioral, emotional, psychological, interpersonal and social factors. Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders Inc. adds: ‘Genetic factors account for more than half (56%) of the risk of developing anorexia nervosa. Work on the genetics of bulimia and binge eating continues.’ Both sites list an array of contributing factors.

Interesting, oui? And much more complex than the debate thus far. Check out the above organizations. Read through Helpguide‘s tips for recognizing anorexia. And, if you’re so motivated, take a look at eating-disorder clinical trials sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.

You can still blame ads, but that could be a chicken-and-egg debate. Which comes first -- a propensity toward self-starvation or a fascination with those who appear to practice it?

-- Tami Dennis