Television personality Katie Hopkins sparked debate earlier this month by stating that overweight children should be told that they were “fat”.
Appearing on ITV’s This Morning, Hopkins commented that parents had a responsibility to tell their children that they were “fat”, and to “do something about it.”
Rates of childhood obesity in Wales are expected to rise over the next few years
However, CEO of Cardiff charity Bullies Out, Linda James, disagrees. Commenting that this attitude was harmful, she said, “It’s disgraceful. Labelling your child ‘fat’ is so detrimental to their wellbeing.
According to a 2013 report published by the Welsh government, the numbers of overweight children in Wales were the highest in the UK in 2011. Around 35% of under 16’s were classed as overweight or obese, making them more likely to face bullying and self-esteem issues.
