To be or not to be �phat�, is the question of the fashion age, today. Translate the �ph� sound into �f� and the grease flies, fat burns and bodies get starved to gain attention. Was it Twiggy, the actress of the forties, who heralded in the �stick� look or was it the super (anorexic) models who cat-walked in the �clothes hanger� look. Well, what/whoever the culprit, being �pleasantly plump� has been booted out of the fashion industry.

Unfortunately, the debilitating malaise has captured much of the teenage universe: in fashion, health, thoughts and mentality: being fat is not phat! Here, �phat� is the multifaceted slang for �hot�, �cool�, �great looking�, �sexy�, �attractive�, and the only way to be! Those afflicted by the �fat body, low self-esteem� malady, go onto developing more serious health-related issues such as anorexia, depression, bulimia, osteoporosis ( much later in life), tooth decay and an overall poor health.

To make matters worse, it�s a parent�s nightmare to notice that even the pre-teenagers are getting sucked into this �thin is phat� mentality. Nothing annoys me more than seeing little girls dressed up in little-adult-clothes complete with the cut offs, off-shoulder- noodle- straps, midriff-showing Ts and micro-short shorts. Put on a midriff T on an eight year old and you will surely see a baby belly protruding. Is it any surprise that the poor baby fat gets unwanted attention, consequently, putting a �normally� developing pre-teen into the fat category. Can anyone imagine the painful results of such a labeling? The slow but sure erosion of a young, budding self-esteem can foretell only the most ominous of vicious eating-disorders that few can overcome.

If wishes were horses, I�d wish that every name brand, MTV star, clothing line and fashion merchant would belt out a �Fitness is Phat� number or something to that effect-- subconsciously promoting a healthy lifestyle. Perhaps, the fashion mimics would mimic their way out of eating disorders and �fat phobias�! Now, wouldn�t that be just phat?!


Note: Originally published in Kantipur Post, under the name of Karuna Chettri