An Iraqi actress is suing a British newspaper for using a photo of her to illustrate an article about how women are fatter in the Arab world than the men.

Enas Taleb, a talk show host and television personality in Iraq, said The Economist used the photo without her consent and claimed it had been photoshopped.

The photo, which shows Taleb on stage during Iraq’s annual Babylon International Festival nine months ago, runs under the headline “Why women are fatter than men in the Arab world.”

The article argues that poverty, lack of social life and access to sports are reasons for why obesity rates are higher for women than men. Another reason, according to the article, is that some men are more attracted to women with “curves.”

• 'I was brutally disfigured': Linda Evangelista suing over cosmetic procedure that went awry
• The biology of obesity: How our ancient brain conspires to make us overeat

It notes: “Iraqis often cite Enas Taleb, an actress with ample curves (pictured), as the ideal of beauty.”

Taleb called the article an “insult to the Arab woman in general and Iraqi women in particular.”

Speaking to Saudi-funded al-Arabiya TV, she asked why The Economist “takes interest in fat women in the Arab world and not in Europe or the USA”. ( via BBC )

“I am demanding compensation for the emotional, mental and social damage this incident has caused me. My legal team and I are arranging the next steps,” Taleb said.

On Wednesday, the longtime TV personality posted an Instagram story of her lawyer to her nine million followers. In it, her attorney Samantha Kane said she “issued a letter of reclaim on behalf of my client demanding apology for serious harm.”

Taleb told New Lines she is happy with the way she looks.

“Audiences have loved me for many years. It was disappointing to see an international outlet label me as if all my accomplishments mean nothing. I am healthy and happy with the way I look, and to me that is all that matters