The shape we are in, should we teach children about obesity? Or should we bury our heads in the sand because talking about obesity might offend?

Our eating habits have changed. Our food environment has changed. Over the last few decades many millions of people all over the world are becoming obese. Over the last few decades our young children have also become overweight and obese. Yet words such as fat and obesity are not used when educating them, because they are words that are seen as offending and stereotyping.

I have taught in schools that have year 3 to year 6 pupils sitting on chairs in assemblies alongside their teachers because they can’t sit on the floor with their peers, as they physically cannot get up off the floor after the assembly has finished!

They are bullied in the playground, shunned in the classroom, unable to participate in PE lessons and simply don’t want to because they find it not only hard, but because of the relentless bullying due to being perceived as fat.

Billions of pounds are spent in the UK funding PE lessons, which many overweight and obese children do not benefit from because their parents provide sick notes as to why their child cannot participate in PE lessons. But very little is spent providing schools with nutritional education, relying on charities to provide teachers with information and healthy eating lesson plans, that are simply not enough.

Obesity is a complex health condition that is not simply about overeating and being labelled as fat. Obesity has links to the consumption of too many fast foods, ultra-processed foods and the rubbish that these multi-million-pound food manufacturers churn out as so-called food. They are constantly advertised to entice and reward us and yet they are far from any kind of reward for a young child’s body and mind. They are an addictive food stuff, with no or very little of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals adults and children need.

There is now proof these junk foods if eaten in excess are shortening our children’s life expectations!

By educating children about these foods, that whilst can be enjoyed in moderation, we must also educate them as to what these foods can do to their bodies if eaten in excess, they can cause obesity.

And yes, the parents are the ones who feed their children and yes outside of the school gates, we have very little control of what goes on at home in the parents’ choice of eating.

But these children go home with what they learn and education as to why they could become obese can influence changes.

Knowledge is power, not fat shamming! People and children come in all shapes and sizes and being larger is not an indication of being unhealthy, but obesity is and can be prevented.

Should we educate future generations as to the harmful effects of these foods and their contributing effects to obesity in children that leads to obesity in adulthood?

Or should we bury our heads in the sand and say and teach nothing?

Obesity isn’t a nice word, but is it one that children should be taught about sensitively? And should children understand what causes obesity and how to prevent it, especially in our most deprived areas.

Video by Sarah Bosley titled ‘The shape we are in’ Junk foods are shortening our lives.