Anorexic is not beautiful

From correspondents in Montevideo, Uruguay

February 15, 2007 04:00am

A TEENAGE Uruguayan model has died from apparent malnutrition, just six months after her elder model sister died from heart failure caused by malnutrition.

The woman, identified as Eliana Ramos, 18, was found dead in her home in Montevideo by relatives, local television reported.

Preliminary examinations indicated sudden death caused by malnutrition, the report said.

Her sister, 22-year-old Luisel Ramos, died of heart failure in August while performing a catwalk show at a Montevideo hotel.

The night she died she was to share the catwalk for the first time with Eliana but faltered before a final costume change.

At the time, Eliana denied claims her sister had starved herself, saying: "It is madness to say she was anorexic."

Luisa's death sparked a debate within the modelling industry over "0-sized" models.

Other deaths of models have been reported in Brazil, most recently in November.

DPA, in The Australian