Girls in the capital flaunt their slim figures.

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 23: The size zero craze, sparked by actress Kareena Kapoor in the movie Tashan, has become a much talked about fashion statement in the city.

These days, women here are flaunting conspicuous collarbones, wafer thin waists and pencil fit denims with much élan.

It could be the fad of the season or just a little awareness about fitness, but the college goers and teenagers vying for wiry bodies crazily for a number of reasons.

“I feel smart and stylish,” says Fina, a college student who follows a strict diet and munches fruits even during the lunch hour. “To gain something you need to sacrifice something. I just love the slim figure I have,” adds the youngster who is not tempted by chocolates and ice creams anymore.

Her friend Dipti, another teenager, thinks alike and has sacrificed all the goodies to acquire flat abs. “Size zero figure is a dream among people of our age-group. We are leaving no stone unturned to get that coveted shape,” she says.

Like Dipti and Fina, there are many other young girls in the city who follow their Bollywood and Hollywood idols even if it means going the anorexic way.

“I wish to be a successful model. Hence, It is obvious that I have to be extremely slim to get through the beauty pageants. So I don’t have a problem remaining a little hungry and managing with some juice,” says Jyoti Das, an engineering student.

However, fitness experts do not support this attitude of youngsters at all.

Speaking of the trend of size zero, Shraddha Garg, managing director, New Leaf beauty and fitness centre says, “Fitness is very important. But being anorexic just for the sake of looks with a crash diet does not help. Moreover, it is a myth that keeping away from food and staying hungry is the correct form of dieting.”

Actress Kareena Kapoor started the size zero trend.

“One needs to have a balanced diet to let the body function properly. But many youngsters seem to follow their own diet plans leaving out essential nutrients, just to look like a supermodel,” she adds.

Bhavna Tripathy, managing director of Stayfit health solutions, adds, “It is not at all healthy to maintain an ultra slim figure. Every person has an ideal weight and drifting away from that harms the health.”

Starting from problems like acidity to anorexia and malnutrition disorders, the size zero figure has a number of disadvantages, says Tri pathy.

“Rigorous workouts also injure the body. Back pain, knee pain and other joint cramps too are common. Besides reckless dieting takes toll of the health,” she says.

Garg suggests that one must work out at the gym only after taking proper advice from a dietician or a counsellor to maintain a good figure.

“Shedding fat at the gym is best for youngsters but that too must be done in a controlled manner. Instead of forcing the body, one should realise that an ideal weight is maintained in a healthy way,” she says.

After all it’s all about having a positive attitude and right state of mind.