Romanian Model Weighs 84 Pounds, 20-inch Waist

When I first saw images of Romanian fashion model Ioana Spangenberg with just a 20-inch waist I thought the images must have been digitally altered. I didn’t think her figure was possible and if it was real I didn’t think it was beautiful or attractive. I thought she looked, well, sick.

Turns out I was wrong. The images of Spangenberg were not digitally altered and the model weighs just 84 pounds at 5ft 6 inches tall. The ideal waist size for a woman of Spangenberg’s height is nearly 28 inches.

Spangenberg insists she eats three big meals a day and has tried to “fatten up” with no results. In fact, she says that is has taken her a long time to feel comfortable in her own skin and that she’d rather be able to gain some weight.

“In Romania it is better to be overweight, because that means you are from a wealthy family,” says Spangenberg. “I would still like to gain weight so I don’t look so shocking.”

Spangenberg might not be proud of her body, but there are others who idolize it.

Skinnyfans.com, a website dedicated to skinny women (and by skinny women I mean extremely malnourished and anorexic women) has posted a video of Spangenberg on the site. Upon further investigation is has become clear that the website is a pro-ana (pro-anorexia) type of erotic or porno website. Most of the images on the site are of semi-nude or fully nude women posing with protruding bones.

Spangenberg might not know it, but her extreme hourglass figure has found an audience that idolizes a very unhealthy lifestyle and illness. I wish, now more than ever, that the images of her were actually digitally altered and not real at all.

Related from Care2:

Superstar Talents Adele and Christina Aguilera Criticized for Being “Fat”

Maggie Goes on a Diet: Children’s Dieting Book For Girls 6-12 Years Old

Girls As Young As 3-Years-Old Worry They Are Fat

Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Wendy F.

10:32PM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

Freakish is the only word for her! I cannot imagine why anyone would actually use her as a model. She makes the clothes look bizarre and would have to be individually fitted s nothing ever made would fit her. What kind of designer would want her modeling their clothes?!? Who can even look at the clothing? She has a serious medical problem and they've turned it into some sort of image of beauty???? NOT!!! Sick.

send a green star

Christina J.

7:08PM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

I hope her situation is the same as mine and she isn't lying for her healths sake. Either way, it isn't her fault if anorexics are idolizing her. There's always got to be someone to blame.....

7:01PM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

I happen to be 5'5" and in my adult life my weight has gone as low as 98 pounds. I ate normally, didn't exercise but did do a lot of stuff between campus and work. I had tests done to make sure I had nothing wrong since I was concerned being so thin but once I found all my tests normal I accepted it. Sometimes people are really just thin, it's as mean to make comments about them as it is for me to go up to someone overweight and say "oh my do you ever STOP eating, you need to lay off the carbs". I have heard the opposite and worse said to me, sometimes by complete strangers, and it's extremely insulting and hurtful.

C.M P.

8:30AM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

What happened to the promise the fashin industry made a few years ago to promote models that were of normal/average weight?
Never saw it happen... and when that promise was made they even bragged that some models were a [gasp!] size 2 or 4!

There is no way that she eats more than the average person and is that thin...

Josha N.

6:45AM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

Oh my God, she looks like some kind of monster freak. This can't be the result of "lucky genetics", as she claims, she just looks starved. I don't believe one word about her three big meals a day.

Mario A.

6:35AM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

EW seen a picture of this woman. She looks freaky yuck not attractive at all.

Beth P.

6:10AM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

Back in the 19th century, she would have been in a "freak show"; now she's a model (i.e example of beauty). This seems problematic to me.

Debbie C.

4:22PM PDT on Mar 12, 2012

Oh my lands!!! 84 lbs. at 30 years old? She looks like a real, live Barbie Doll. I'm glad she is healthy and happy!!

Eternal G.

8:26PM PST on Mar 4, 2012

Wasting away.... beautiful??? It says something of our western culture...