Former Disney star Demi Lovato has battled body image demons since an early age, but the star decided to take to Instagram and share a snap of her legs pointing out the absence of the somewhat coveted ‘thigh gap’.

The 22-year-old shared a selfie from a sunbathing session, posing in a colourful striped bikini.

She wrote beside it: “Regardless of what society tells you these days...You don't have to have a thigh gap to be beautiful.

"It is possible to love your body the way it is. #fitness #health #acceptance #selflove."

Demi entered a rehab facility after struggling with an eating disorder.

She told a teen magazine on her exit: "I started compulsively overeating at a very young age. And then I almost stopped eating altogether at the age of 12, after being harassed by kids at school, for being 'fat’.

"Eating disorders often stem from feelings of low self esteem, depression, anxiety, or in my case, being teased and ridiculed for my weight.”

What do you think of Demi’s snap? Let us know in the comments box below.