Ana Carolina Reston (Anorexia Takes her Life)

Ana Carolina Reston (June 4, 1985 – November 15, 2006) was a Brazilian fashion model of part Lebanese heritage.
Reston was born to a middle-class family in Jundiaí, on the outskirts of São Paulo, Brazil. At the age of 13 she began her modeling career after winning a local beauty contest in her hometown. She was represented by renowned modeling agencies such as Ford, Elite and L'Équipe in countries such as China, Turkey, Mexico, and Japan, including prestigious ad campaigns such as Giorgio Armani.
In January 2004 Reston made her first overseas trip to Guangzhou, a Chinese city. While attending a casting call there, she was reportedly informed that she was 'too fat', a criticism, it has been said, that led to her decline into anorexia nervosa.
At the time of her death Reston weighed only 40 kilograms , measured 172 cm (5 feet 8 inches), and had been hospitalized since October 25 for kidney malfunction due to anorexia and bulimia nervosa, which included a diet consisting only of apples and tomatoes. She had a body mass index (BMI) of about 13.4, below the index value of 16 which the World Health Organization considers to be starvation. Her condition became more serious and deteriorated into generalized infection that led to her death at the age of 21.
Reston was the second model reported to die from anorexia-related complications in 2006. Luisel Ramos, a 22-year-old Uruguayan model, suffered a heart attack in August after living on lettuce leaves and Diet Coke for three months.
Ana Carolina Reston was born to a middle class family in Jundiai, on the outskirts of São Paulo. Reston began her modeling career at the age of 13 after winning a local beauty contest in her hometown. She was represented by renowned modeling agencies such as Ford, Elite and L'Equipe in countries such as China, Turkey, Mexico, and Japan, including prestigious ad campaigns such as Giorgio Armani.
Ana was about to fly to Paris for a fashion shows just as she had done numerous times before. Instead, she was urgently hospitalized on October 25 for kidney malfunction due to anorexia nervosa and bulimia, which included a diet of only eating apples and tomatoes. Her condition became more serious and deteriorated into generalized infection that led to her death at the age of 21. At the time of death she weighed just over 80 pounds.
She was the second anorexic model reported to have died in 2006. Luisel Ramos, 22, suffered a heart attack in August after living on lettuce leaves and Diet Coke for three months.
Ana Carolina’s mother has made an emotional appeal for parents to take better care of their aspiring young models.We have just learned that Israeli model Hila Elmalich passed away as a result of anorexia. She died on November 14th, almost exactly one year after Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston lost her battle with the same eating disorder. Reston's death prompted us to launch our 5 Resolutions to Transform the Fashion and Beauty Industries. Today we got another sobering reminder that this work must continue. And we take comfort in the knowledge that we are not alone.Elmalich's friend, fashion photographer and agent Adi Barkan (pictured at right, with a hospitalized Elmalich over two years ago), is raising awareness among Israeli fashion agencies. Over 30 Israeli CEOs have agreed to hire models for their advertisements only after they pass a health.We have also called for health exams, and our own survey showed that both medical professionals and fashion industry professionals agree that of all the proposed recommendations, exams would be the most effective way to protect the health of models. But despite support for the idea, in the U.S. it's still just that--an idea. Other industries have figured it out. There's no reason why the fashion industry can't, too.