The Return of Extreme Thinness and What It Says About Body Image

It’s the arms that catch your attention first.

We women want strong, toned arms. Michelle Obama, Pink, and most Olympians all have the upper limbs we strive for. But lately, some celebrities have been sporting arms that are less toned and more skeletal.

The headline from Cannes—“Demi Moore’s Toned Arms Take Center Stage”—was provocative. Here was one of the most beautiful and talented actresses in the world, over 60 years old and wearing a stunning strapless gown that showed off her physique. Page Six praised her lean look.

Many people, myself included, were shocked.

I didn’t see toned arms. I saw a skeletal woman with every ligament, tendon, and muscle clearly visible beneath thinning skin. I saw the shadow of a woman who has spoken openly about body image issues and conformity. She even starred in a psychological horror film about the pressures women face to remain young and beautiful.

More and more celebrities are appearing on red carpets as slivers of their former selves. Anna Faris, Sharon and Kelly Osbourne, Olivia Wilde, the leads of Wicked—all appear well below a size 0 while simultaneously looking happy and gaunt.

Now that’s the issue, isn’t it?

They appear happy and full of life.

In a 2023 TikTok video, Ariana Grande told fans concerned about her weight loss that “the body that you’ve been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body. I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly... [I was] at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy, but that in fact wasn’t my healthiest.”

So which is it?

Are they dangerously thin, or are they healthy and happy?

Who’s to say?

Apparently everyone: social media commenters, playground critics, high school hallways, workplaces, doctors’ offices—and, through this article, me too.

When I earned my Body Image Coaching certification, I dove deeply into the pressures society places on women to be “perfect.” Much of the female ideal in America is rooted in racism, classism, puritanical perfectionism, and elitism.

Don’t believe me?

Read Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Strings.

Boomers and Generation X, particularly in white communities, grew up with the idea that nothing was worse than being fat because fatness was associated with laziness, poverty, and immorality. (You don’t have to dig very deep to find the subtext.)

Fat was the root cause of everything wrong with you.

Lack of friends? Fat.

Dandruff? Fat.

Being overlooked for your intelligence? Fat.

I know some of you are thinking that I must be exaggerating. Trust me when I say I’m actually underplaying some of the things I’ve been told.

This attitude bleeds into so much of our daily lives, especially with the growth of social media.

Even Kate Moss’s famous 2009 quote, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” is making the rounds on TikTok and Instagram as aspiring models show off their exposed hip bones.

But even Moss has walked that statement back.

In a 2018 interview with NBC, she embraced bodies of all sizes: “There’s so much more diversity now. I think it’s right... There’s so many different sizes and colors and heights. Why would you just be a one-size model and be represented for all of these people?”

So let’s return to the “toned arms” of Moore, Faris, Wilde, and others.

I worry about anyone who appears to be underweight.

Health risks such as malnutrition, bone density loss, anemia, hormonal imbalance, and problems with temperature regulation are very real. Additionally, it’s often safer to carry a little extra weight as you age. It provides reserves and nourishment for your body.

Being overweight carries health risks as well, all of which have been drilled into our heads from a young age.

The introduction of GLP-1 medications has been a blessing for many people struggling with metabolic issues that make weight loss difficult. I use these medications myself to help manage a metabolism damaged by years of an untreated autoimmune condition.

For many, they are life-changing.

For others, they may contribute to existing body image struggles—fuel poured onto a smoldering fire until it becomes a wildfire. To me, that’s no different than an anorexic spending hours on a treadmill.

As a Body Image Coach, my goal is to help people become comfortable in their bodies and healthy in their lives.

That’s the key word: healthy.

Healthy in mind and healthy in body.

Self-acceptance is difficult for many people. Between peer pressure, discrimination, and cultural expectations, it’s hard to accept yourself as you are. It’s even harder for celebrities who are constantly told that their value is tied to their appearance.

I worry about the health of Grande, Moore, and the Osbournes because they have spoken openly about past eating disorders and body image struggles.I worry they may be re-engaging with dangerous habits—habits that, as a fat woman, I deeply empathize with.

So I hope they are taking care of themselves. I hope they are living happy, healthy lives and not risking their well-being to meet an unattainable ideal. And I hope others find their self-worth within themselves rather than aspiring to look this way.

Because this look is not achievable for the overwhelming majority of women. And it is not necessarily the healthiest.

Be healthy.

Be happy.

And embrace what makes you uniquely great.

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Shannon Malone-deBenedictis (she/her) is a two-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, certified story coach, and founder of Padlin Creative, where she helps women harness the power of storytelling to lead with impact. With 25 years in global documentary filmmaking, her work has appeared on Disney+, Netflix, National Geographic, and Discovery, earning Emmys for Secrets of the Whales and Penguin Town. She’s collaborated with icons like James Cameron and Sigourney Weaver, and partnered with organizations including National Geographic, Saving Yellowstone Foundation, and NWF. As creator of Fully Unapologetic, Shannon mentors women creatives, educators, and entrepreneurs to own their stories with courage and clarity. A certified Body Image coach, she believes curiosity is a superpower and story is the key to transformation. Whether on stage or behind the camera, Shannon inspires women to speak boldly, act bravely, and create meaningful change.

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