The truth about size zero

[Scorpion]

Okay, I've just been watching this programme and cannot believe that any woman would want to look like this. I make no apologies for what I am about to say. I am sick of looking at the likes of Victoria Beckham every day. I have tried to avoid it, but it is not possible. It seems as if she just needs to break a nail (or dye her hair) and the press are on top of it in a minute As a man I do not find this look attractive in the least! Why then does the fashion industry insist on persuading women that this is what they need to achieve? It is obscene! It is not natural! Women are meant to have curves. Don't women understand that this is what men find attractive about them? In any event, as the programme points out, it is not healthy and that is a fact! At the end of the day, is it really just about publicity and money?

[Sandra]

I didn't watch it but one of my colleagues did and said....... she's going to try and get to size 0 I was quite surprised as she is a sexy curvy size 12-14.

[bearcub]

I didn't watch it but one of my colleagues did and said....... she's going to try and get to size 0 I was quite surprised as she is a sexy curvy size 12-14.

Sounds like the programme didn't really shock enough then, if it got someone saying "oh, that looks good".

[bouncie_kiwi]

I make no apologies for what I am about to say. I am sick of looking at the likes of Victoria Beckham every day. I have tried to avoid it, but it is not possible. It seems as if she just needs to break a nail (or dye her hair) and the press are on top of it in a minute As a man I do not find this look attractive in the least! Why then does the fashion industry insist on persuading women that this is what they need to achieve? It is obscene! It is not natural! Women are meant to have curves. Don't women understand that this is what men find attractive about them? In any event, as the programme points out, it is not healthy and that is a fact! At the end of the day, is it really just about publicity and money?

WELL FECKIN SAID!
wow i could write you a ten page essay bitching about the likes of "nicole ritchie" and "victoria beckham" and various other size-obsessed/drug-abusing/eating disordered/all of previous so-called "celebrities".
The sick thing is: the current obsession with the "size zero" - to get to that size, your BMI will be - with the odd exception - within the diagnosis range for anorexia nervosa (a BMI of 17.5 or below, as well as the other psychological issues blah blah im sure you all know)
So yeah people (mainly teenyboppers) see the "size zero" associated with "oh my god does victoria beckham have anorexia!??"
Fact: teenboppers are now actively trying to emulate behaviours (i.e. starvation diets/purging/over-exercising) of those exhibited by anorectics. (i assume you have all heard of pro-anorexia sites? if not just type in the phrase in google - its twisted.)
Which brings me to my next point:
This obsession with size zero - could be pushing these teenyboppers down a dangerous path, even ASDA is selling size 4's now (US-0). So beware if your teenage daughter starts spending secret time on the internet - where could she be?
oh yeah - on the new-age "pro-anorexia" sites, gobbling up bad information on the newest "ana" diet, and making "fasting buddies"
yeah thats right - in the teenyboppers quests for size zeros, they have "starving competitions" with each other, give each other "tips and tricks" on how to hide their starving/fasting from parents, how to look like they are eating etc....
They have "goal weights" with number such as
"goal weight 1: 7 stone,
GW2: 6.5 stone
GW3: 6stone"
and other goals such as:
"ribs i can count 1[x] done!
2ribs[ ] not yet
3ribs[ ]
4ribs[ ]
visible hipbones[ ]
(((myself and a few online "friends" are currently on a mission to destroy these forums, with the help of my, ahem, computer literate other friend)))
some will forget about their new diet soon. Others will possibly develop some form of eating disorder.
So in their quest for their size zero - hey brilliant they can fit into those jeans.....
But what happens in ten years time at the ripe old age of early 20's, they are diagnosed with osteopenia? wow theyre gonna be on a zimmer frame by the time they're 30. Thats if they dont become obsessed and end up on a relentless path towards..oh yeah, organ failure..pericardial effusions...full blown osteoporosis, depression, kidney failure, liver damage, even suicide - the list goes on.
I am so sick of hearing healthy happy teenagers talking themselves (or trying to) into potentially fatal psychological illnesses. And i am aware that magazines and media do not "cause" these eating disorders, they cannot be "caught", but for someone who already has a possible genetic predisposition, or an obsessive/addictive personality, it can sure as hell give them a HUGE shove in that direction, they think that by just "being anorexic" they can lose some weight well...who knows who will be finding themselves a new address: Young People’s Unit Royal Edinburgh Hospital Tipperlinn Road Edinburgh.

ok enough ranting now. This current obsession with the skeletal appearance being portrayed as an "ideal" just makes me mad beyond comprehension.

[bearcub]

ok enough ranting now. This current obsession with the skeletal appearance being portrayed as an "ideal" just makes me mad beyond comprehension.

[rapunzell]

I've just been looking at slightly unsettling shots of Angelina Jolie visiting refugee children in Chad. At size zero (or close) she is more emaciated than starving kids..

[Izzie]

I was talking about size zero with a pal of mine,when K who is 13 asked how she could get a nice flat tummy(she has a very small pot belly).

When we told her all she needed to do was to stop eating sweets her face was a picture and it said it all.

I think she will be sticking to her very small pot belly.

[bouncie_kiwi]

That is so sad little girls aren't born hating their bodies...we (society) decide to teach them.
A 13 year old should not even be considering the fact she may have a pot belly :S
I'm all for healthy eating being taught to kids blah blah, that line between "teaching healthy eating" and "making child terrified of sweets&food because of the effect it might have on her "pot belly"
maybe i should shut up before i get carried away bitching about society - yet again.

....Yes i shall return to my checkout now

[bouncie_kiwi]

eugh, i see they made ANOTHER "documentary" on the "size 0" business, this time it was 2 journalists trying to get to a DOUBLE 0 (uk - size 2, the size of a 6 year old)
One girl ended up almost bulimic, the other managed to squeeze herself into an extremely stretchy pair of size 2 jeans (although her weight was still within normal limits, which was quite confusing)

they really should not be making these kid of documentaries (im my opinion) because they are not really "showing the dangers" of "becoming a size 00" they ar emore just showing the psychological aspects of crash dieting.
That documentary in particular made me pretty mad - especially when one of the girls said with a huge smirk and smg grin on her face "im quite the anorexic!" as if it were some kind of accomplishment
Who allows the BBC to show these programmes????????

[rapunzell]

I was tempted to watch it to see just how bad it was, but I forgot.

Did they finally add the important detail that there are plenty of women who could not 'achieve' a size zero because to be a size zero you need a very narrow and underdeveloped rib cage and pelvis. If they'd used taller more athletic women in the prog, they'd have been miles off size zero even if they'd starved them down to their skeletons, but I suppose that would have spoiled the programme

[Epykat]

One girl ended up almost bulimic, the other managed to squeeze herself into an extremely stretchy pair of size 2 jeans (although her weight was still within normal limits, which was quite confusing)

I always find that weird too when these celebs (like Vanessa Feltz for instance) say they're 10 stone and into a size 10 . How come? I've been 10 stone for years and NEVER fitted into a size 10. Apparently that girl was 8 or 9 stone so how on earth did she fit into a size 2?

[Poppy]

Are they talking US or UK sizes?? Even if UK sizes, I was an 8/10 when I was 7 stone: nowhere near size 6 no matter what the cut or the brand.

Still, surely the size is just to help select something of the rail to try on - if it fits and looks fine, does it matter what the label says?

If being over-weight/under-weight for one's frame affects one's health, then that's another issue entirely.

[rapunzell]

And there are women who can't put on weight no matter how much they eat. My old flatmate looked emaciated and had to tolerate everything from comments about being a junkie to being an anorexic fashion victim, and found it terribly upsetting as she ate plenty but the shape and metabolism was inherited. Fortunately everyone who'd met the rest of her family realised this and stopped advising/ criticising/ insulting her!

[bouncie_kiwi]

Are they talking US or UK sizes?? Even if UK sizes, I was an 8/10 when I was 7 stone: nowhere near size 6 no matter what the cut or the brand.

They are talking US sizes - a US 0 is a UK 4...im guessing a 00 would then be a UK 2, in which even if you were 4 stone you would still not fit into a 00 unless you had extremely small/non-existant hips.
Haha Vanessa Feltz says she is ten stone??? She looks about 12. Not that i'm saying there is anything wrong with that - i just don't get why people feel the need to lie about their weight. Especially when people can see that their made-up number can just not be realistic.

[mr magnolia]

The eldest magnoliete (6yrs 6mnths) told me the other day that her 'bum was too big' (and she's a girl that cares not, generally, about 'fashion')

I nearly swallowed my cream bun in horror.

[bouncie_kiwi]

My god...this is the sad sad reality we are facing nowadays. And it is getting worse. Bad body images are appearing younger and younger, and STILL people hold up skeletons as their "ideal". It's not even just fashion though is it? It is EVERYWHERE. "ooh i hate my big bum big bums mean excess means greedy and needy and ThatsNotWhatAnyoneWants"

People with teenage daughters, and pre-teen for that matter - please please be very vigilant about what they are viewing on the internet. There is now EIGHT year olds joining "pro-ana" forums. (see rant near beginning of thread for more info on THAT)