Updated on Friday, November 17, 2006, 00:00 IST

Washington, Nov 17: Nicole Richie has slammed the latest rumours concerning her - that she had a gastric band fitted, but had to have it removed after losing too much weight.

The Simple Life star also denied that she was the subject of a New York Post recent gossip story claiming "a Hollywood starlet" underwent gastric bypass surgery and then, after slimming down too much, had the operation reversed, reports Hollywood Rag.

But the 25-year-old's publicist has refuted the reports, saying: "It is not Nicole. There are a ton of 'Hollywood starlets'."

Nicole's weight dropped dramatically in the last year but she has recently started to look healthier and she insists her new fuller figure is the result of seeking advice from medical experts.

The adopted daughter of singer Lionel Richie has always denied that she has an eating disorder and insisted she entered the 80,000 dollars-a-month centre in Newport Beach to undergo tests to find out why she couldn't out on weight.

"Nicole has decided to undergo diagnostic treatment to determine why she's not been putting on any weight," said a spokeswomen.

Bureau Report with ANI inputs