'Neighbours' star discusses anorexia battle

Neighbours star Imogen Bailey has revealed that she suffered from anorexia in the early days of her modelling career.

The actress, who plays Nicola West on the Aussie soap, started to make drastic changes to her diet in preparation for bikini shoots in her early twenties. She ended up shedding so much weight that one magazine refused to use her pictures because she looked too unhealthy.

"I went through a minor, but still not very good, anorexic stage and actually got down to less than 40kg," Imogen, now 31, told Who magazine.

Bailey later went for therapy and took up meditation after her family and friends expressed concerns about her health.

"Women's bodies change on such a constant basis - when it's that time of the month I can add 5kg quite easily," she explained. "I try not to focus on that too much and if I connect all the dots and meditate and keep my mind focused and healthy, that's one of the ways of avoiding slipping back into eating disorders."

Bailey joined the cast of Neighbours earlier this year. She was recruited following appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Survivor in Oz.