A resounding 61 per cent of clinically obese children reject surgery as a means of drastically losing weight and only three per cent hope of becoming a size zero, according to a new survey of young people tackling the problem by leading experts in child obesity, Carnegie Weight Management.
Surgery was given the thumbs down by those surveyed in favour of shedding the pounds naturally, with 60 per cent viewing surgery and gastric bands as ‘cheating’, 71 per cent feeling it is too dangerous and just under two thirds (61 per cent) believing there are easier ways to lose weight.
The survey was conducted to uncover young peoples’ perceptions of the obesity issue, through the eyes of those directly affected by it – the 2.3 million* young people in the UK diagnosed as clinically obese. Over 100** young people were interviewed in the study, providing a revealing, personal insight into the issues they face on a daily basis, their attitudes towards overcoming their weight problems and their biggest fears.
Despite rejecting extreme methods of weight loss, 74 per cent had tried dieting in the past to no avail and approximately a quarter (24 per cent) blamed a lack of weight management services in their area for their previous unsuccessful weight loss.
In a wake up call to teachers and education authorities, 60 per cent of obese children feel that they do not get any support or help in overcoming their weight issues when at school. The problem is exacerbated by nearly half (42 per cent) claiming they are subjected to bullying because of their size. Outside of the playground, exactly half of those girls questioned said they are made to feel embarrassed when simply shopping for clothes, compared to a third of boys.
When asked about their biggest fears for the future, over half feel that their obesity problems will cause serious health problems such as diabetes, whilst 58 percent perceive that their body weight and image will prevent them from getting a boyfriend or girlfriend. A similar percentage also worry that their weight will prevent them from pursuing their dream career.
The majority of obese children interviewed reject the pressures to become a size zero, as 43 per cent believe it looks ridiculous and only three per cent want to achieve the size zero figure. When asked about role models, the majority (43 per cent) of children chose their parents as the people they look up to the most - ahead of celebrities such as Beyonce, David Beckham and Christina Aguilera.
Despite many common misconceptions, only 29 per cent of obese children see eating too much junk food as the cause of their weight problem, with the majority (59 per cent) claiming that managing portion sizes is the main reason for their condition. A revealing 48 per cent feel they spend too much time watching TV and playing on computer games instead of exercising.
Child obesity expert and founder of Carnegie Weight Management, Professor Paul Gately, commented on the survey: “To truly get to the heart of this issue and uncover new ways to reach out to the 2.3 million young people who are tackling obesity, you need to speak directly to those who are living with this problem day in, day out. This survey achieves this, with the common theme amongst obese children being that they simply want to be seen as normal and be given the guidance, and most importantly - the confidence and self esteem boost needed to beat their weight issues.
“The obesity time bomb is ticking for the NHS and the future state of our economy. Our study has highlighted that the children want to lose weight but they are calling for more support to help them achieve this. The findings reaffirm that this problem is everyone’s collective responsibility and we need to work together to successfully tackle it.”
Deven Bowler, aged 16 from Rotherham, who attended this year’s Carnegie International Camp and participated in the survey, said: “Being overweight makes me feel different to everyone else, it affects lots of things in my life like the clothes that I can wear and my confidence. I want to lose weight to become more healthy and look more like my friends, but its hard when there are so many temptations at home and little support from school.
“Having recently lost over a stone at Carnegie International Camp, I know its about making healthy choices and portion control, if I’m to continue losing weight at home. Now I know I can do it and I’m determined to lead a healthy lifestyle.”
For further information about Carnegie Weight Management visit: www.carnegieweightmanagement.com or phone 0113 812 5233.
*Figure sourced from 2.3 million children who are obese is based on calculations from The Health of England Survey 2007 and Office of National Statistics
**103 children interviewed independently by Carnegie Weight Management
***Research conducted by Carnegie Weight Management
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