Australian Miss Universe finalist Stephanie Naumoska poses in a bikini in Sydney Reuters

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DOCTORS and dieticians have branded a leading finalist in the Miss Universe Australia beauty contest as "skin and bones" after she stepped out in front of judges in a skimpy red bikini.

Sydney model Stephanie Naumoska left onlookers a gasp, and some said she was anorexic.

The 19-year-old, who was knocked out in the swimsuit section of the contest on Wednesday evening, was one of 32 contestants from more than 7,000 hopefuls promoting "healthy, proportioned, bodies".

But despite being 5ft 11in and 7st 10lb, Naumoska has hit back, saying she eats well, has a healthy body weight and eats up to eight meals a day.

She said: "I think it is very unfair that I have been criticised that I'm too skinny''.

"I have never been anorexic or bulimic I don't throw up my meals after I eat them, I don't starve myself, none of that.

"I eat six to eight healthy meals a day.''

Photographs of the gaunt brunette have thrown the Miss World competition into controversy for the second time this week, with newspaper headlines reading "Bony or beautiful?".

Just days ago, the Miss USA competition came under scrutiny when celebrity blogger Perez Hilton asked a beauty pageant favourite for her views on gay marriage - and her answer is said to have cost her the crown.

Health professionals said Naumoska has a body mass index of just 15.1, well under the official benchmark of 18 for malnutrition.

Dietician Melanie McGrice said: "She would be categorized as underweight and I would certainly want to be doing an assessment of her diet to make sure she doesn't have some type of eating disorder."

"She needs blood tests, diet analysis and an overall assessment."

Pageant director Deborah Miller said Naumoska had "Macedonian" heritage, which accounted for her extreme thinness.

Miller said: "They have long, lithe bodies and small bones. It is their body type, just as Asian girls tend to be small".

However, Australian nutritionist Susie Burrell said there was no such thing as a Macedonian body type.

Australian Medical Association president Rosanna Capolingua, whose organisation represents Australian doctors, said the contest should impose a minimum BMI cut-off of 20.

Capolingua said: "The most unhealthy part about it, though, is the image it is showing other young women who may view this as normal, when clearly it's not".

The eventual winner was Sydney television presenter and model Rachael Finch, 20, who will compete in the Miss Universe world finals in the Bahamas in August.