A survey of female students aged 18 to 65 at British universities found that almost one in three would be willing to die younger in exchange for the ‘ideal’ figure of the likes of model Kelly Brook or actress Scarlett Johansson.
The finding is all the more shocking because almost all of those polled were in the normal weight range – or even underweight.
Disturbing: New research has revealed that one in three women would give up a year of their life to have the perfect body
Some 16 per cent said they would swap one year of their life for their ideal body and 10 per cent were willing to trade between two and five years.
Many women valued their lives less, with 2 per cent willing to forego up to a decade, and one per cent saying they'd give up at least 21 years younger in exchange for a slimline shape.
Overall, 30 per cent of the 320 women questioned said they would be willing to make a trade.
Across the country, this would equate to millions of women.
And with those polled ranging in age from 18 to 65, the research shows that it is not just teenage girls who are plagued with insecurities about their bodies.
Many said they would also be willing to make other sacrifices in order to look better, with friends, family and academic success all valued less than looks.
Some 13 per cent said they would take a £5,000 cut in salary, 8 per cent would forego a promotion at work and 6 per cent would give up getting a first in their degree.
Seven per cent would give up spending time with their family, 9 per cent their friends and 7 per cent would give up their health to achieve their ideal shape.
Most of those quizzed for new eating disorder charity the Succeed Foundation , had also had negative thoughts about their body in the past week, with 31 per cent feeling critical of their figure several times a day.
Almost half said eating disorders are an issue for women on their campus and 79 per cent would like to lose weight, despite the fact most (78 per cent) were underweight or of normal weight.
On average, the women said they wanted to lose more than a stone in weight, with just 3 per cent saying they wanted to gain weight.
Kelly Brook was most often cited as the celebrity with the perfect body, followed by singer Beyonce, then actresses Jessica Alba and Scarlett Johansson.
Dr Phillippa Diedrichs, an eating disorder expert from the University of the West of England, said that with those surveyed ranging in age from 18 to 65, it is clear that body confidence does not grow with age.
'This really highlights how important appearance is for women. Unfortunately, body weight and shape is seen as not only an indicator of how beautiful they are and also often of a marker of success in their life.
She added women don't have to go to the extremes of anorexia or bulimia for their worries about their weight to be damaging.
Repeated diets and over-exercise can take their toll on health as well as relationships.
Succeed Foundation founder Karine Berthou, who has suffered from anorexia and bulimia in the past, said the fashion industry puts too much pressure on women to be stick-thin.
She said: 'The message we get from the fashion industry is that you have to be thin to be loved and that is the wrong message.
'There are no rules in terms of size. We shouldn't focus on size, it is not an important element of life.'
But Peter Morris, a consultant clinical psychologist specialising in eating disorders at the Huntercombe Hospital (please credit if quoting) in Maidenhead, cautioned that weight concerns alone are not enough to trigger an eating disorder. ( dailymail.co.uk )
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