India comments on thin model debate

India does not want waif-like young women sashaying down the catwalk and acting as role models for thousands of girls who are starving themselves to get svelte figures, the Indian health minister said.
The minister's statement comes after the unprecedented decision taken by fashion organizers in Madrid this month to ban underweight models from walking the ramp, saying they wanted to project an image of beauty and health, not a waif-like look.
The Times of India newspaper quoted Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday as saying that many girls in India's cities and small towns were suffering from osteoporosis due to strict dieting.