Did Brittany Murphy Suffer from an Eating Disorder?

When Brittany Murphy died at age 32, the young actress already had garnered an impressive record of major movies: Clueless, Girl Interrupted, and 8 Mile. As she grew older, Brittany also became increasingly slender.

The result of her changing shape: speculation among the media about possible causes, from an eating disorder to cocaine use to prescription drug abuse. Now a new article in People magazine quotes various unnamed "sources" as saying that Brittany was plagued by ""inner demons" and body image concerns.

In addition, the director of Clueless, Amy Heckerling, reportedly told a blogger that Brittany went through "a change" on that movie, perhaps feeling that she was not the "skinny pretty girl" that other actresses were. As a result, Heckerling notes that Brittany became "thinner" and "blonde," dating various Hollywood actors and becoming more a part of the Hollywood scene.

Meanwhile, Brittany's husband repeatedly has stated his sorrow, as have her family members. None of them has verified any of the rumors, and it's important to remember that at this point, all the speculation and rumors are just that: there is no medical evidence yet to verify any of it.

The comments from those who knew Brittany, however, about her issues with her weight are a reminder of the danger that can result for young, impressionable actresses when their peers, directors, and well-meaning managers make comments about their weight and shape. In a nation where child obesity is viewed as an epidemic, it's ironic that at the same time, Hollywood and the entertainment world often view dangerously thin actresses as the ideal.

The problem: the TV shows and films in which those very slender women star are viewed throughout the nation. As a result, young girls and teens see that as the ideal, sometimes going on diets at ages as young as five and six. The "thin is in" role model carries over into magazines and ads as well, resulting in fashion models who are, in person, unattractively skeletal but, on the runway, "wear clothes well," as designers sometimes say.

For Brittany Murphy, the emphasis on body image may have been, literally, deadly.