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Journalism of Courage
Nineteen-year-old Kartikei Kataria was bullied for being a sick, thin kid in school as he battled bouts of asthma. So he started following the body transformation videos of actor Hritik Roshan and even tracked down the coach of TV actor Ankit Mohan, who gave him a high-protein diet, supplements and a high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout plan. But he couldn’t sustain it because of high costs. He did gain muscle initially but mimicking a routine that was just not meant for his body type, he hit a plateau and complained of low energy and mood disorders.
Kartikei is the perfect example of how celebrity health journeys on social media, which do not document the expert teams and rigour they work with for consistency, impact young minds with their half-baked information. Like him, Pallavi, 18, followed the diet of Korean stars to lose weight. “IU ate one sweet potato, an apple and a protein shake, while BTS’ Jimin skipped meals for nearly 10 days. The crux of all these diets is eating less and working out more. I started following Chloe Ting’s two-week ab challenge and incorporated intermittent fasting. I also cut down on snacks, reduced my salt intake and avoided oily foods. Initially, I lost weight and was happy. But then restrictive eating made me sick and my body crashed,” she says. Now her denial has made her crave food so much that she has regained all her weight.
Sonali Behl, a senior clinical psychologist, says “The teen obsession for a ‘perfect’ body stems from deeper issues like bullying and societal pressures during childhood, which shape self-esteem and can lead to negative thinking. That’s why they search for hope stories on celebrity posts because they feel nobody in the real world is helping them. But they forget that influencers and celebrities often use filters and have professional coaches and healthcare experts. Or that their post makes it look short-term when they have a life-long maintenance plan,” she says.
Varsha Gorey, senior clinical dietitian at Apollo Hospitals in Navi Mumbai, has half her OPD full of young people chasing the perfect body. “Like their favourite celebs, they want fast results. The initial weight loss is mostly water, so the results don’t last long. Strict diets must be done under expert supervision, and even then, they can lead to problems like energy loss, low haemoglobin, vitamin B12 deficiency and a weakened immune system,” she says. “This often results in hair loss and low bone density. Sometimes youngsters develop eating disorders,” she adds.
Young boys often chase fitness regimes for six-pack abs or bulging biceps, resorting to steroids and protein supplements that can be hazardous for the kidneys and liver. “Adolescence is the time when your body matures. So teens need a balanced diet of macronutrients, micronutrients, antioxidants, dietary fibre, prebiotics, and probiotics. Developing a good nutrition plan takes time and consistency, not quick fixes.”
Gorey suggests a simple formula as listed below:
1. Anthropometrics: This involves measuring height, weight, body circumference, muscle mass, and other physical attributes. For example, a young man aiming to build muscle needs a different approach than someone trying to lose weight.
2. Biochemical Parameters: Blood tests for cholesterol, blood sugar, vitamin deficiencies and more can help tailor a diet that addresses health issues.
3. Complaints: Any health complaints such as digestive issues, migraines, fatigue, or sleep problems need to be factored in.
4. Detailed Diet History: Understanding current and past eating habits, dietary preferences and food intolerances is essential.
5. Emotions: Young people struggle with body image issues, guilt, anxiety and stress related to their eating patterns. Addressing these emotions is crucial.
6. Fitness: Regular physical activity promotes good circulation, helps calorie burn, and maintains muscle tone.
