NZ girls aren't buying the super-thin craze

Anna Jullienne of Shortland Street fame.

The mantra of celebrity-obsessed Los Angeles and London residents may be "thin is in", but New Zealand women aren't buying it.

Sales of size 4 clothing - the equivalent of a US size 0 - by popular chain stores Top Shop and Miss Selfridge provoked British health experts to warn that the emaciated look, favoured by waif-like Hollywood celebrities, was catching on with young girls desperate to emulate their idols.

Among those admitted to Hollywood's "size 0" club are Nicole Richie, Keira Knightley and Victoria Beckham, who was recently reported to have worn jeans that would fit a 7-year-old.

The typical measurements for a size 0 are 23.5in waist, 31.5in bust and 34in hips.

But New Zealand retailers are bucking the international trend, with most offering a size 6 or 8 as the smallest options.

Fashion designer Karen Walker is the only local designer to offer a size 4, which is available only in some items.

Chain store Supre offers a 3XS, which equates to a size 4, but one employee said it was only young girls "with no hips" who bought the tiny size.

In New Zealand, models and sample garments are all size 8 to 10.

Adele Wakeham, service manager of Regional Eating Disorder Services, said the international size 0 trend was a concern, but figures for eating-disorder services here remained fairly stable.

"Looking at our access figures over the past few years, the growth is more related to population than to any sort of sociological issues."

She said a more worrying trend in Auckland was the increasing number of girls aged 10 to 11 being referred to the service.

Asked about the size 0 trend, Shortland Street actor Anna Jullienne said the New Zealand entertainment industry differed greatly from those in America and Britain.

"There's never any pressure from anyone to keep our weight down. No one addresses the issue," she said.

Some actors put pressure on themselves to stay slim, particularly if they saw themselves on television every night.

"It's like if you stand and look in the mirror for too long, you're going to find more flaws the longer you stand there.

"It's a really female thing to do, to criticise your body. But you've got to give yourself a break."

As for Hollywood's "lollipop" stars, Jullienne said she felt sorry for them.

"It must be awful for them. They must be really hungry all the time and low on energy."

Auckland Eating Disorder clinical coordinator Anna Hedley said it was important for people to realise the health risks associated with being underweight, which included fertility problems and a greater risk of developing osteoporosis.

Former Cosmopolitan editor Marcelle D'Argy Smith said the size 0 craze represented the "death of the grown-up woman".

Ms D'Argy Smith said those who portrayed size 0 as normal were perpetuating a cult of thinness.

"What is so bizarre about all this is that they are being praised for their bodies. Who is defining these bodies?" she asked.

"Some gay men in the fashion industry who want to hang their clothes on stick insects."


What's your ideal dress size?

Size 10 to 12 is definitely the healthiest look. Girls are already so self-conscious. If shops sell size 4, it makes them think they have to be that size to be pretty. I have friends who are size 6 and 8, but they only eat one meal a day.
- Myrna Singh, 19, size 10

The ideal size is in the eye of the beholder. It's all a marketing ploy aimed at people who read about celebs. It doesn't mean anything to us here. I don't think it's healthy, those celebs don't look healthy.
- Katherine Malkin, 42, size 12.

I'd say a 10 is normal. The whole thing's a bit strange. I was a size 6 for years, I've only just gone up to an 8, but my whole family's tiny. It's good to have a whole range of sizes as long as they go up to bigger sizes as well.
- Kirsten Ingram, 18, size 8.

I guess the ideal size depends on the person, but probably a 10 to 12. Size 4 is crazy. It's fine if the clothes are for kids but it's not healthy for adults and it's not realistic. Look at Victoria Beckham (left), she has a little kid's body. It's not attractive at all.
- Grace Purdie, 19, size 10.

Personally, I'm happy as a 12, but that's what suits me and my build. It's different for everyone. I can't imagine anyone's natural weight making them a size 4 so if shops sell that size, they're just perpetuating an unrealistic ideal. Seriously, that's the size of an eight-year-old boy.
- Felicity Kingston, 29, size 12.

- Additional reporting INDEPENDENT