Candace Cameron Bure Opens Up About Weight Pressures in Hollywood

Candace Cameron Bure, now 49, recently shared her experiences with the pressures of Hollywood that began when she was just a child. Reflecting on her early years during her role in “Full House,” she spoke candidly about being put on a diet at a young age.

Her decisions, she revealed, were rooted in fear. “My parents were really scared,” Bure explained, mentioning that the struggles of Tracy Gold, her co-star from “Growing Pains,” impacted her family’s views on health and body image.

Bure recalled how she felt like, well, a typical 12-year-old—complete with “cheeks, thick arms,” but slightly heavier than other kids on television. The focus on weight and appearance quickly shifted in her household, which, while framed as a lesson in healthy living, became consumed with dieting. “Let’s make good choices in food,” she remembered. Her home was steeped in diet culture—both her mother and sisters were often on diets, and she found herself in the same boat.

While her parents’ intentions were to instill healthy habits, Bure reflected on how this approach might have backfired. Sometimes, it sunk in too deep—shaping her self-image and making her hyper-aware of her body in comparison to other actors. “My parents never wanted the producer to come to me and say, ‘We need your child to lose weight,'” she mentioned, highlighting her anxiety as a young star.

Starting her career at 11 as Donna Jo “DJ” Tanner on “Full House,” Bure starred alongside notable names like Bob Saget and John Stamos from 1987 until 1995. Even in the midst of success, these early experiences left lasting impressions on her perspective of body image and self-worth.