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A beauty pageant where fat is fabulous is taking Brazil by storm as curvy competitors prepare to showcase their plus size figures in a fiercely contested national competition.

This Friday over 35 plus-size contestants, who must weigh a minimum of 80 kilos (176 pounds) to enter, participate in the Most Beautiful Fat Girl (A Mais Bela Gordinha) annual final staged in Rio de Janeiro.

The aim of the parade is to tip the scales in favour of celebrating the fuller-figure and banish an industry-wide belief that only thin girls are gorgeous.

Organiser of the competition and plus size model, Claudia Ferreira, 34, who fought for years to come to terms with her ample proportions said: 'Being fat can mess with your self-esteem as people tend to think they have the right to bully you and put you down because of your size.

Beauty: More than 35 plus-size models will be vying for the title of a beauty pageant called The Most Beautiful Fat Girl, with the annual final to be held in Rio de Janeiro. Pictured: Aline Mansur representing Rio De Janeiro

Pageant: The models, who must weigh a minimum of 12 stone, will strut their stuff in front of a panel of 12 judges as well as the audience. Pictured, businesswoman Roberta Augusta representing Minas Gerais state

Confidence: The aim of the pageant is to change the traditional perception of beauty in Brazil, which has long been known as a home of the toned beach body. Pictured, Luana Lima representing Brasilia

Courage: All entrants are expected to wear a swimming costume to parade across the stage in front of the audience and judges. Pictured, Priscilla Fadini also representing Minas Gerais

Image: Claudia Ferreira, 34, is the organiser of the Most Beautiful Fat Girl competition which she launched after struggling for years to come to terms with her ample proportions

'This competition is about boosting big girls' confidence, teaching society-at-large to appreciate the more generous figure and showing everyone that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.'

As they prepare for the big night, all the candidates have been instructed to find huge dollops of courage and lashings of 'sassy' attitude because once they are up on stage they can't 'airbrush out their wobbly bits, hide their cellulite or cover their stretch marks'.

'This is a competition about having plump thighs, a well-padded rear, bosoms rather than boobs and a curvaceous body to be proud of,' laughed Ms Ferreira, who is a Brazilian size 48 (18 in the US, or a 20 in the UK).

All the entrants are expected to wear a swimming costume, to parade on their own across the stage in front of an audience, to strut and strike a pose before a panel of 12 judges and to perform a choreographed dance.

Pose: For women who want to enter but are less confident in their bodies, they can enter a competition online which means they don't have to perform in front of an audience. Pictured, Priscila Oliveira from Mato Grosso

Strut: The candidates have been warned that once up on stage they won't be able to 'airbrush out their wobbly bits, hide their cellulite or cover their stretch marks'. Pictured, Maluh Vinagre representing Paraiba

Finalists: All those who will be entering this week's finals in Rio de Janeiro have already won their regional competitions, and moved onto a national level. Pictured, Jamila Dias representing Ceara

Positive: The organisers of the competition say it is about making the girls face up to their fears, and show them that it is a positive step to show off their bodies for an audience. Pictured, Karina Luck from Sao Paulo

'It's a nerve-wracking experience which is all about getting the girls to face up to their biggest fears and helping them deal with the embarrassment of showing off their ample figures,' explained Ms Ferreira who says every day she faces fatphobia with a positive response.

'I take it as a compliment and thank people when they call me fat. It's always good to remember there are many people who appreciate big girls,' she said, adding that she frequently gives morale-boosting body-confidence pep talks to help women conquer self-loathing.

The Most Beautiful Fat Girl pageant is divided into two categories of 18 to 35-year-olds and 36 to 55-year-olds with candidates, who won the qualifying heats in their region, representing 20 of the 27 states in Brazil.

There is also an online competition where entrants, who don't have the courage to participate in the live shows, can submit their picture to the official competition website. An online audience will vote later this month for their favourite to win the internet's tubbiest title.

Bold: Many of the models in the competition say they have experienced 'fatphobia', but say the pageant helps them conquer their self-loathing. Pictured, Thais Oliveira from Rio de Janeiro

Prizes: The winners of the junior and senior competitions can expect a haul of prizes, including holidays, a brand new wardrobe, photoshoots for their portfolios as well as cash

Striking: More than half of the population of Brazil are now registered as overweight, but it still comes behind the US and Mexico in the global rankings. Pictured: Isabel Nayara

Leggy: Models have told how they used to feel ashamed of her size, but they say the pageants have helped heal them psychologically and accept themselves for who they are. Pictured: Sandra Panta from Bahia state

Healthy: The women who compete in the pageant say that health is very important to them, and they eat careful diets and spend time in the gym

Life: The finalists represent a healthy cross-section of the country's society, with housewives, civil engineers, doctors, lawyers and nutritionists entering the competition. Pictured, Leonora Cavalcante from Rio de Janeiro

For years Brazil has been seen as the land of the fit and toned beach body. But that slender image is now in the past with more than half of the population registering as overweight say experts.

Even so the South American country is still way behind the United States and Mexico where a third of the population is classed as obese.

'If you have a tendency to be fat, that doesn't mean you have to be unhealthy and sedentary,' advised Ms Ferreira.

'I go to the gym regularly, eat healthily, but because I easily put on weight I keep a close check on my cholesterol and glucose levels,' she explained.

According to the organisers this year's event includes a healthy cross-section of society with housewives, civil engineers, doctors, lawyers and nutritionists sharing the stage and sashaying their stuff.

Catwalk: Roberta Augusta has competed in and won several plus size competitions across the country. Now she hopes to take a national title

Preen: Organiser Claudia Ferreira, who is a UK size 20, said the competition is all about having plump thighs, a 'well-padded' rear and 'bosoms rather than boobs'

Business woman Roberta Augusta, 43, who weighs 92 kilos (203 pounds) and is also a size 48, describes herself as 'well-distributed'. She represents Minas Gerais in the senior division.

She said: 'Over the past five years I've participated and won several plus size competitions. However, before I started entering these contests, I suffered from depression because of my weight.

'There were many times I wouldn't even come out of the house because I was ashamed. These shows have helped me heal psychologically and taught me to accept who I am,' she revealed.

Priscilla Lima, 40, who weighs 150 kilos (330 pounds) and is a size 52 (USA 20 or UK 22), is an event's organiser from Rio de Janeiro. She is proudly confident of her weight.

She said: 'I've always found that other people have issues with me being so fat. But I don't care. I love to flaunt, preen and enjoy who I am. I see myself as sexy, seductive and a real woman. I tell haters if you don't like what you see, it's not my problem.'

One of the youngest vying for the Most Beautiful Fat Girl crown is 19-year-old student Nayara dos Santos representing Minas Gerais in the junior section. She takes a dress size 50 and weighs around 123 kilos (272 pounds). 

Champion: Jucilena Salazar was the winner of last year's competition. The woman say they feel empowered

Winner: Milian Aquarelo was triumphant in the junior category of the 2015 competition. This year one of the youngest vying for the crown is 19-year-old student Nayara dos Santos representing Minas Gerais

Real: While many of the competitors say that they have faced bullying and taunts about their size, they say that the contest has helped them come to terms with themselves. Pictured, Kellen Leio representing Para

Issues: Priscilla Lima, 40, who weighs 150 kilos (330 pounds) and is a UK size 22, is an event's organiser from Rio de Janeiro. She is proudly confident of her weight

Weight: The new title holders will be chosen based on their personality, congeniality, shape and beauty. Pictured, Claudia Ferreira, the woman behind the Most Beautiful Fat Girl competition

She said: 'This is my first ever national competition and I'm nervous but equally excited to show others just how amazing young fat girls can be. And to show that I am no longer prepared to be pressured into being thin.

'I have done all the diets, lost a ton of weight and piled it all back on. But by going through the earlier qualifying heats for this competition I'm now learning to enjoy my extra kilos.'

Last year's winners, Milian Aquarelo in the junior division and Jucilena Salaza in the senior category will be present to hand over their crowns to this year's new queens.

The new title holders, who will be judged on their personality, congeniality, shape and beauty, can look forward to scooping a bundle of prizes including holidays, a whole new wardrobe, photoshoots for their portfolios, cosmetics, and a wad of cash.