5 Shocking Cases: Who Is The Most Skinniest Person In The World And How Did They Survive?

The question of who is the "most skinniest person in the world" is a complex one, as the answer depends on whether you are looking for the lightest recorded adult in history, the lowest Body Mass Index (BMI) ever documented in medical science, or a contemporary figure widely cited in the media. As of late 2025, the title is not held by a single, easily identifiable person, but rather by individuals representing different categories of extreme thinness—each case a stark look at the limits of human physiology, whether due to genetic conditions or severe mental illness.

The reality behind these extreme cases, from the 19th-century sideshow phenomenon to modern battles with Anorexia Nervosa, is often tragic and serves as a critical reminder of the severe health risks associated with extremely low Body Mass Index (BMI) and malnutrition. The stories of these individuals are chronicled in medical journals and historical records, revealing a profound and often fatal struggle with body weight.

The Historical Record Holder: Lucia Zárate

For the definitive historical record of the "lightest recorded adult," the title belongs to Lucia Zárate, a Mexican woman whose life spanned the late 19th century. Her extraordinary low weight was not the result of an eating disorder, but rather a rare genetic condition.

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Lucia Zárate: A Biographical Profile

• Full Name: Lucía Zárate
• Born: January 2, 1864, in San Carlos, Mexico
• Died: January 15, 1890 (Age 26)
• Cause of Death: Hypothermia and starvation after her train was stranded in a snowstorm.
• Condition: Majewski osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II (MOPD II). She is the first person to have been identified with this specific form of dwarfism.
• Height: 26.8 inches (68 cm) at her peak.
• Record Weight: 4.7 pounds (2.1 kg) at the age of 17.
• Guinness World Record: Entered as the "lightest recorded adult."
• Career: A famous performer in sideshows, known as the "Lilliputian Queen."

At the time of her record, Zárate's weight was comparable to that of a small house cat. Her adult weight was officially recorded by a team of US physicians in 1876, who found her to be 20 inches tall and weigh just 4 pounds. While her weight fluctuated, reaching a peak of around 14 pounds (6.4 kg) later in life, her record as the lightest adult is secure in the Guinness World Records.

The Lowest BMI Ever Recorded: A Medical Extreme

When defining "skinniest" based on scientific metrics like the Body Mass Index (BMI), which measures weight relative to height, the record belongs to an unnamed patient documented in medical literature. BMI is the standard tool for categorizing a person's weight status.

The lowest reported BMI value ever recorded in a patient with Anorexia Nervosa was a staggering 6.7 kg/m². For context, a BMI of 18.5 is considered the lower limit of a healthy weight, and a BMI below 15 is classified as severe starvation.

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This extreme case involved a 31-year-old woman who, upon admission to the hospital, weighed only 19 kg (41.8 pounds) with a height of 168 cm (5 ft 6 in). Her survival at such a low BMI is considered a medical miracle, highlighting the body's incredible, yet precarious, metabolic adaptations to extreme starvation. The case underscores the life-threatening severity of eating disorders and the condition known as Cachexia, or severe muscle wasting.

Contemporary Cases of Extreme Thinness

In the modern era, the title of "skinniest person" often falls to individuals who have publicly shared their battle with anorexia or whose unique body shapes have been highlighted by the media. These cases, while not always holding the absolute lowest BMI record, are the most recognizable contemporary examples of extreme thinness.

Valeria Levitina: The Anorexia Spokesperson

Valeria Levitina, a Russian woman, was frequently cited in the early 2010s as the "world's skinniest woman" due to her severe struggle with Anorexia Nervosa. Her case became a global warning against the dangers of the disorder.

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• Weight: Reported as low as 50 pounds (22.7 kg).
• Condition: Extreme Anorexia Nervosa, which began after a strict diet in her late teens.
• Advocacy: She dedicated her later life to sharing her story and warning young women about the dangers of eating disorders.

While some recent, unverified reports for 2025 continue to list her, it is important to note that Levitina's condition was life-threatening, and her story is primarily a powerful cautionary tale against the pursuit of unhealthy weight loss.

Ioana Spangenberg: The 'Human Hourglass'

Ioana Spangenberg, a Romanian model, is another contemporary figure often mentioned in discussions of extreme thinness, though her fame is largely centered on her tiny waist size, which earned her the nickname "Human Hourglass."

• Weight: Approximately 84 pounds (38 kg).
• Height: 5 ft 6 in (168 cm).
• Calculated BMI: Approximately 13.6 kg/m².
• Claim: Spangenberg claims her thinness is due to a naturally fast metabolism, despite eating three meals a day.

With a BMI of around 13.6, she falls into the category of severe underweight, placing her among the world's thinnest people.

The Critical Difference: Dwarfism vs. Eating Disorders

Understanding the "most skinniest person" requires distinguishing between two fundamentally different causes of extremely low body weight: genetic conditions and psychological disorders.

Genetic Dwarfism (The Lightest Adult)

Lucia Zárate's record is a case of Primordial Dwarfism, a rare genetic condition. In this context, her low weight is proportional to her very short stature, and she lived a relatively full life for someone with her specific health challenges. Her weight is a function of her tiny skeletal structure and overall small size, making her the lightest adult on record, but not necessarily the most emaciated in terms of fat and muscle loss.

Anorexia Nervosa (The Lowest BMI)

The unnamed patient with a BMI of 6.7 and individuals like Valeria Levitina represent the devastating effects of Anorexia Nervosa. This is a psychological mental health disorder that leads to self-starvation and extreme weight loss. Their low BMI is a measure of severe emaciation, where the body has consumed its own muscle and fat reserves to dangerous levels, leading to a high risk of multi-organ failure and mortality.

In conclusion, while Lucia Zárate holds the historical world record for the lightest adult, the person who achieved the most extreme state of thinness relative to their height—and thus the title of the "skinniest person" by scientific measure—is the unnamed individual with the lowest documented BMI of 6.7 kg/m². These cases are not just fascinating statistics but profound human stories that highlight the severe consequences of both rare medical conditions and devastating psychological illnesses.