Thigh gap, bikini bridge: Young India's health's at risk

The obsession with staying in shape has been hitting new levels with trends like the thigh gap, bikini bridge, visible ribs and protruding collar bones coming to the fore.

Trends that gained leeway in the online space have in the last one year become mainstream with tons of dedicated websites and Facebook pages going live.

Along with being excessively unhealthy, these so called 'trends' -- that young girls are hopelessly falling prey to -- are a far cry from appealing.

1. The gap trap

Trending big time on social networking sites, thigh gaps have become one of the latest trends teenagers are considering necessary in order to look desirable.

So, how do you know if you have what silly teenage girls all over the globe are vying for? Simple. Stand straight with your back upright and feet together.

If you see space between your thighs, congratulations! You’ve got yourself a thigh gap.

Though the thigh gap is not very popular in India, it has spread like wildfire in the west.

The movement began in early 2013 and gained momentum through sites like Tumblr on which it began trending under the #ITG or #innerthighgap tags.

Cara Delevinge, a 21-year-old supermodel, is believed to be the inspiration behind this crazy trend.

There are also several Twitter accounts that are dedicated to Delevinge's thigh gap which shockingly have thousands of followers, most of whom are vulnerable teenage girls.

Can everyone get a thigh gap?

The answer is no!

A person's genes determine hip and bone structure, thus making it is impossible to make the pelvic girdle wider or narrower even through intense workouts.

Women with wide hips have a chance of having that gap between their thighs, but that too is just a chance.

You cannot workout and undertake crazy diets and expect them to do what your genes could not either.