Valeria Levitin, a former Russian who now lives in Monaco, has noticed a disturbing trend: young girls write to her, eager to know how she achieved her extremely slim figure.

In an interview with The Sun, the 39-year-old said: “I’ve had emails from young women, most of them in their twenties, who see me as an inspiration and want advice on how they can look like me”.

However, Valeria is firmly against anorexia and refuses to give advice that could lead young girls down a dangerous path. Having suffered from an eating disorder since her teens, she is now determined to raise awareness of the devastating impact it has had on her life.

Valeria wants to prevent others from suffering a similar fate. She says her battle with anorexia has left her feeling isolated and unattractive. Her mother’s fear that Valeria would become overweight, due to her family history, led to strict dietary rules from a young age.

At 16, Valeria moved with her family to Chicago, believing that losing weight would help her fit in at her new school. She drastically cut out sugar and carbohydrates, and after years of dieting, her body now has trouble digesting these foods. A hurtful comment from a classmate about her weight fueled her desire to lose even more weight.