Skinny models dominating catwalks and magazines will become a thing of the past if a federal government plan to reform the fashion world succeeds.
The Rudd government is considering introducing a code of conduct to rein in the worst excesses of the fashion, media and advertising industries in an attempt to reduce the number of teenagers suffering eating disorders.
It would require magazines and advertisers to use fewer skinny models and instead feature a mix of body shapes and sizes.
Images that are digitally altered will need to be clearly labelled as such.
Youth Minister Kate Ellis says surveys consistently show body image is "one of the greatest concerns" among young Australians.
She says the average age of people suffering from eating disorders is getting "lower and lower".
"We've got reports from hospitals of children as young as six being admitted with anorexia," Ms Ellis told Sky News.
"It's pretty clear there is a substantial issue out there.
"It is a complex issue but it's one the government must address."
The federal government is investigating a code of conduct along the lines of Victoria's voluntary media code introduced in April.
"The code of conduct is one possible solution," the youth minister said.
"We'll be investigating and exploring it further.
"It works with a range of different stakeholders - the media, the advertising industry and the fashion industry."
Victoria's code is voluntary but Ms Ellis won't say whether federal Labor will take a similar approach.
"That's something we will look at further," she said.
But the youth minister rejected suggestions a voluntary code would be ineffective due to a lack of enforcement measures.
"What we have seen previously from different governments around the world that have explored these options is that it's actually been most effective when it's been a voluntary code," Ms Ellis said.
Governments couldn't solve the "complicated" issue alone, but could make inroads "if we can work in partnership with those other stakeholders", she said.
The government says the federal Office for Youth, formed last month, will make the code of conduct a priority issue.
The office is part of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
