Wenke presented slides and video footage from the group's newest ad line, which she said used woman with large credentials, rather than small dimensions.

"In the fashion and beauty industry, this is considered a breakthrough," Wenke said.

The ads present groups of women--diverse both ethnically and in terms of body size--all wearing Anne Klein clothing. The "heavily credentialed" group, according to Wenke, includes former Texas governor Ann Richards and Broadway actress Bebe Neuwirth.

Despite such attempts to reform the image of a beautiful woman, the U.S. media still makes it difficult for women to accept their less-than-perfect bodies, according to Kate Dillon, a self-described "plus-sized" model.

As a young girl, Dillon became obsessed with her weight, because of taunting, and developed "walking anorexia". At 16, she entered the fashion industry as a "skinny model", only to quit at age 20 because of her constant struggle to stay thin.

"I couldn't help but recognize that I was a player in my destruction," she said. Two years later, Dillon resumed her career as a "plus size" model. Her success story drew sustained applause from the crowd.

Following the presentations, the panelists and four physicians affiliated with the Harvard Eating Disorders Center answered questions from the audience--some of which challenged the panelists' claims to have made strides.

The panel, entitled "Culture, the Media and Eating Disorders: The Challenge of Promoting Self-Acceptance," was sponsored by the eating disorders center, which is affiliated with Harvard Medical School, and hosted by the Graduate School of Education. This third annual forum came three days into the National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.