Size_Zero

SIZE ZERO: The Truth About Shrinking Britain Teetering along on their stick-thin legs, they look like they haven't had a square meal in years. So what is it about this ‘look’ that so many girls find appealing' A recent study has shown that one in ten girls will have had experience of an eating disorder by the time they’re 18. These findings have shocked the nation, as well as local charities dealing with this issue. Steve Bloomfield, a spokesman for the Eating Disorder Association said this week, “These new figures are appalling. Something must be done. There is no use just discussing it anymore” But who is to blame for this outburst of dieting maniacs, and fitness fanatics' The media' Models' Celebrities' The size zero debate is a controversial one. Raising the idea of young girls looking for ‘thinspiration’ from beautiful models and pampered celebs. Uneasy with their looks, they turn to magazines for comfort, and end up going to extreme levels in their quest to look like their role models, such as Victoria Beckham. Obsessed by her looks she is constantly up to date with new dieting tricks and tips, even going under the knife to look good. However much she denies it. But how can this have a positive effect on women' Surely it is unhealthy for women to aspire to look like someone who can only blame her flat stomach on an unnatural technique. The fashion industry too has come under scrutiny for using size zero models. However, calls have been made to provide legislation to protect models. A few days ago in Madrid, it was announced that only healthy-looking mannequins would be permitted to strut their stuff at the city's annual style event. Anyone with a body mass index of less than 18 was banned. Now organisers of London Fashion Week, which begins on Monday, are being urged to impose similar rules. That would leave in-demand models such as Lily Cole and Erin O'Connor, kicking their heels. But health agencies are adamant that legal steps must be taken to protect the health of the catwalk queens. The Madrid initiative followed the death of 22-year-old Luisel Ramos during a fashion show in Uruguay last month. The emaciated model died of a heart attack moments after stepping off the catwalk - a result of having eaten nothing but green leaves, washed down with Diet Coke, for three months. However, it is reassuring to see that not all designers are “crazy for this craze”. ASDA has recently hired Coleen McLoughlin, a size 12 with a BMI over 20, as their model for their new range, due to be released in the spring. A spokesman said, “The reason we use Coleen is that she is real. She promotes a healthy body image”. So, with all this controversy surrounding size zero, is it worrying that clothes sales for smaller sizes are increasing' American size zero - equivalent to UK size four - is on sale in shops such as Dorothy Perkins and TopShop. A shop assistant in TopShop said the size zero clothes, part of the chain's petite range, were selling very quickly. She said: "Recently I have noticed a growing number of very, very thin women, who all look as underdeveloped as a pre-teen. The truth about shrinking Britain is as shocking as the pictures featured in this article. Dictated by their own body, young girls are simply fading away. Their minds overpowered by the idea of being thin. I say, what was wrong with a size 10'