Which of these women is happiest with her body?

As women finally start to embrace their curves Stephanie Bell finds that bigger can be better.

Is the tide finally starting to turn on society’s obsession with thinness? For years we have been bombarded with images of heavily air brushed impossibly skinny models held up in glossy magazines as the female ideal.

The size zero debate which raged globally in the fashion industry a few years ago did leave a stigma, making it not so hip to be super skinny anymore.

Criticism of celebrities with waif like frames is increasingly creeping into the media with Kate, the new Duchess of Cambridge, the subject of constant speculation about her health and comments about her weight.

Angelina Jolie's recent Oscar appearance had Twitter ablaze with criticisms of her thin frame with one user saying her arms looked like they were ready to snap in half.

In March, Israel took the unprecedented step of banning models from advertisements or fashion shows if they measure less than 18.5 on the body mass index (BMI).

It is part of an effort to promote health for women of all sizes, and to stop glorifying the ultra-thin.

“Beautiful is not underweight,” said Rachel Adato, one of the creators of the bill.

The lack of body diversity in the media has been blamed on the soaring number of children and young teens suffering from eating disorders.

The reality is that most “normal” people are not naturally skinny.

According to a recent survey, the average UK woman weighs 11 stone and is a size 14 and it looks like we are finally starting to embrace and celebrate those natural curves.

We talked to three real women who have very different body sizes about how their weight impacts on their happiness and self esteem and found some surprising responses.

‘Even big ladies can look great’

Donna Wilson (44), a beauty administrator from Belfast, is married to Alan (45), a maintenance engineer, and they have four children, Kerry-Ann (24) Curtis (20), Jordan (19) and Corey (16). She is size 20. She says:

I’ve never been thin. When I was a teenager I would have been a size 12. My weight went up when I had my children and at one stage I was actually heavier that I am now. I did go up to a size 28 but I lost four stone about four years ago although I have put two or three stone back on.

I can’t say I wouldn’t like to be a bit slimmer and I know I could do with toning up for my health but I am happy with how I look.

I love going out for meals and I love socialising. I like to enjoy life and so I don’t let my weight get me down or stop me from doing things.

I love fashion and I love shopping, when it comes to clothes I am a bit of a shopaholic. I always try to make the best of what I’ve got and yes, sometimes I do feel sexy. I love the High Street boutiques, River Island, Next and Dorothy Perkins as they all do my size and I like stylish clothes. I can pick up a nice maxi dress in River Island or leggings in Topshop which I wear with a long vest. I might have the big knickers on underneath to hold my belly in but if I feel good in something then it makes me happy and confident.