Concern at crash-diet TV show

A NEW TV show will challenge women to crash diet down to a size zero.

The Channel 4 documentary is a “super-skinny” version of Super Size Me, in which a film-maker spent 30 days eating junk food.

The female volunteers will employ “extreme weight loss methods” to slim down.

They will attempt to emulate Hollywood stars such as the shockingly thin Nicole Richie in the hour-long show Super-Skinny Me: The Race to Size Zero.

A US size zero –— equivalent to a British size four — has become the holy grail for image-conscious celebrities. The Eating Disorder Association said it had “very serious concerns” about the health of women taking part in the show. Extreme weight loss can lead to major medical problems and can affect fertility.

The volunteers also run the risk of becoming addicted to the weight loss programme and developing eating disorders, said the Association’s spokesman, Steve Bloomfield.

“This is a shock doc with a real sense of purpose,” said a Channel 4 spokesman.

“It provides the perfect opportunity to debunk the current clamour for all things super-skinny.”