All this ‘thin is in’ philosophy leads the younger women to hanker for the figures and faces of anorexic models, some of whom, look exacly like a character straight out of an alien film rather than outstanding. Girls are ready to diet to the point of emaciation and illness rather than become a joke because of their figure. Doctor Preeti Sharma from Delhi claims, this dieting business leads to so many diseases. Osteoporosis, used to  set earlier in the age gruup of fifties, now can be seen in much younger women. The reason, they spend their teens and twenties dieting, is to fit into the image, media has created about perfect woman. Many girls fall victim to eating disorders, which affect millions of people every year. A woman needs to be healthy and have reasonably large hips to bear children. If she is too thin, her chances of normal delivery diminishes. Dieting also leads to all kinds of illnesses associated with nutritious deficiency. Diseases of the gums and bones are common. Hair falls off and teeth becomes weak. The skin becomes sallow and unhealthy.’

Girls who deliberately starve themselves suffer from an eating disorder called anorexia nervosa. The disorder, which strikes around puberty, results in extreme weight loss. Girls usually stop having menstrual periods, develop dry skin and thinning mane of hair. One in ten cases of anorexia nervosa leads to death from starvation, cardiac arrest, other medical complications, or suicide Many girls with the disorder look emaciated but are convinced they are overweight.

Bulimia is another common disorder in which girls consume large amounts of food and then forcefully discharge those out from the body by vomiting, using laxatives or diuretics, enemas, or exercising obsessively.

Isn’t it better to be fit and eat a balanced diet without forsaking requisite food intake just for the sake of fashion.  Would you rather starve and be emaciated and then pay a heavy price  than be fit, healthy, energetic and confident? If someone is slightly plump, they are still worthwhile as human beings. This has been lost in the ‘image’  business.

Adam Singh, a British Asian television producer and photographer says “Beauty sells, slim is beautiful and fat is ugly. If I hire a hostess for my program who is even slightly heavy, no company will give me ads, no channel will run it and it will not attract any viewers” Take the double standards of Bollywood, for instance. A male actor can put on weight and still run around strutting his belly with slim, svelte young heroines. Whereas the moment an actress puts on a few pounds, her career is over. Talking of double standards, matrimonial section in newspapers are full of them. Any self-respecting woman scoffs at these ads, even if she goes along with her parents wishes.  “Wanted a beautiful, slim, fair, educated and homely girl’, even if the boy in question is short, fat and ugly.

Even late princess Diana fell victim to anorexia nervosa.  People with anorexia may believe they would be happier and more successful if they were thin.

Jobs as flight attendants, hostess in exhibitions, media, public relations and even in five star restaurants now demand slim female employees. My neighbour Padma is always on a diet. She claims ‘My boyfriend will leave me'.

Is it really true that, the girls not having the height or figure of Britney Spears or Aishwarya Rai can kiss their marriage prospects goodbye? That is eighty percent of the female population! If you have an opinion on the same do write to me @

monica@internationalreporter.com

Alternatively, please submit your article in internationalreporter.com

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