Tell people they’re fat vs treat obesity with sensitivity

Tell people they're fat vs treat obesity with sensitivity

There have been a few articles and media debates over the past 10 days, which have a connection.

Tell children they're fat

On Thursday 10th October, the Daily Mail ran an article in the Femail section entitled "Why it's a parent's duty to tell their child they're FAT: An uncompromising warning from a top obesity expert" (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2451475/Its-parents-duty-tell-child-theyre-FAT--Warning-obesity-expert.html)

The article was written by Alan Jackson, the head of a weight management centre in London. Aside from the provocative title, it was actually an interesting and sensitive article. You would not be human if the opening description of 12 year old Josh - 5 foot tall and 15 stone - did not upset you. Or the fact that 14 year old Louise had tried to take her own life - confined to her room at 23 stone 9lb.

There were some good real food messages in the article too - Jackson said "The elder of my two children, Sophie, is nine. When she was a tiny baby we’d just liquidise whatever we were eating - fish, olives, liver - and she'd wolf it down." That's the perfect way to feed a child beyond/alongside breastfeeding. Jackson also notes the obvious fact that we just didn't have "the huge array of unhealthy foods that we have now."