Actress Kate Winslet is hauling a British magazine into court over claims she visited a US 'diet doctor' to slim down.

The curvy Titanic star - an outspoken opponent of Hollywood's growing trend for extreme thinness - is furious Grazia magazine ran a story claiming she was taking desperate measures to shed weight by visiting a Chinese Healing Institute in Santa Monica, California.

Speaking at last night's Bafta awards in London, Winslet confirmed she is suing the publication and insisted the fabricated story could set the wrong example to impressionable fans.

She said, "I'm very upset. It's categorically untrue, it's a complete lie."

Late last year Winslet spoke of her concern daughter Mia would grow up thinking America's size zero is the norm.

She said, "What I resent is that there is an image of perfection that is getting thinner and thinner."

"It's so damaging... and it frightens the life out of me."