Her shockingly-skinny figure drew gasps when she appeared at a Victoria's Secret swimwear launch earlier this week.
But 22-year-old model Candice Swanepoel has defended her dramatically slimmed down figure, insisting she is perfectly healthy.
The South African model insisted: 'I am healthy and happy.'
Barely there: Candice Swanepoel has defended her rail-thin figure, insisting she is healthy, pictured here on Wednesday at a Victoria's Secret swimwear launch in Los Angeles
She told celebrity website People.com: 'I'm heartened to know how much everyone cares about me, but in this case, everything is normal and good.'
But during the event in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Candice attributed her rail-thin physique to dieting, stress and working out.
Back in November, she told ABC News and New York Fashion week that her hectic schedule contributed to her super slim look.
'I've been traveling around like crazy,' she said in the interview at the time. 'I get skinnier if I'm very busy.'
Disappearing act: She appeared alongside fellow Angels Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio and, far right, Miranda Kerr
Unrecognisable: Earlier in the day Candice revealed her dramatically slimmer figure, seen right looking fuller figured fronting the company's Valentine's Day campaign in January
Candice was at The Mondrian hotel in Los Angeles on Wednesday to model the new Victoria's Secret swimwear line.
Standing alongside models Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima, she stood out from her fellow Angels with her pencil thin legs and concaved stomach.
She also appeared noticeably slimmer around the jawline.
While Adriana and Alessandra looked slender in their black swimsuits, Candice looked almost emaciated next to the two girls.
Adriana, 29, who gave birth eighteen months ago to her daughter Valentina, showed no sign of carrying any extra baby weight and looked a much healthier weight than Candice.
Frightening: The South African beauty shocked onlookers with her alarmingly thin figure whilst modelling the lingerie line's new range of swimwear, alongside Alessadra, left, and Adriana, right
Even Alessandra, who is known for her slender frame, looked larger next to the blonde South African.
Candice's appearance was a far-cry from when she fronted up the company's Valentine's Day campaign - which was released in January this year.
In a two-piece raspberry bra set, her sexy curves were clearly on display.
In her modelling card by agency IMG, her statistics are given as 33-23-34 and a US dress size 8 (UK size 12).
Candice is fast becoming one of the most popular Victoria's Secret models and had landed the cover of the Victoria's Secret Swim 2011 Catalogue.
In recent years, the company has been criticised from shifting away from the curvy models that made the brand so famous in favour of super-slim girls.
Odd one out: Standing alongside fellow her she stood out with her pencil thin legs and concaved stomach
The lingerie line has had a long-line of beauties who have endorsed a healthy model figure that boasts ample cleavage and fuller legs and backsides, unlike most fashion models.
Legendary supermodels Heidi Klum, Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks have all walked the catwalk for Victoria's Secret.
The company have already come under fire after a 2010 shoot in St. Barts revealed a strikingly skinny Alessandra Ambrosio modelling the label's swimwear.
With her pelvic bones and ribs protruding just a year and half after having her baby Anja, she looked childlike next to two plus size models.
But Alessandra believes she is more on the curvy side and even once told the Daily Mail: 'I'm very lucky to work for a brand that wants women to be healthy. You need to be able to fill out the bra and the panties, so yes, I'm a curvier girl.'
Victoria’s Secret has gone from strength to strength since launching in 1977.
Though the brand is not currently widely available throughout Britain, the lingerie masters have big plans in place for the first UK flagship store to open next year on London’s New Bond Street.
