A study has recommended that womens body shape should no longer be compared to pieces of fruit,but should instead be classed according to the work of iconic artists.
Health experts have said that labelling female bodies as apples and pears dehumanises women and puts pressure on young girls to look a certain way.
So now the female form will be referred to by six new categories that include the straight up and down Da Vinci,the full bust and bottom Rembrandt and the well-proportioned Rubens.
Chief Executive Officer of eating disorder group The Butterfly Foundation,Christine Morgan,said the artist-based descriptions were a more positive way of referring to womens bodies.
“Any effort to put a label on a womens body is always going to be dangerous in terms of making women feel like they should look a certain way,” the Daily Telegraph quoted Morgan as saying.
“But at least these categories let women know that all types of body shapes have been around for a long time and have been considered beautiful by artists throughout history,” she said.
The new artist-based categories are included in The Shape Report,which surveyed more than 1500 people in Australia and New Zealand about womens body shapes.
The study,commissioned by underwear manufacturer Triumph,revealed 79 per cent of men are happy with their partners body but only 30 per cent of women are content with their own shape.
Triumph Head of Sales and Marketing Karen Ashley said the six new artist body shapes were designed to help women celebrate their shape.