Parents ‘must take lead on fat shaming’

PARENTS should be told how to avoid body-shaming ‘fat talk’ with their children, experts say.

Scottish Government experts recommend Scotland should have a public information campaign aimed at improving youngsters’ body image.

A study last year found one-fifth of Scottish youngsters felt ashamed of how they look. The Body Image Advisory Group on Good Body Image also says beauty clinics should not administer cosmetic treatments to children under the age of 18.

The group, including health and education experts, was asked to review how body image can affect young people’s mental health. The report, published today, states: ‘People who are under or overweight are more likely to have negative body image. Shaming people because of how they look is counterproductive to creating good body image. Fat shaming and weight stigma seem to be more socially acceptable than other types of discrimination.’

It recommends a national campaign promoting good body image for all Scottish children and youngsters. The report, Body Image: We are more than what we look like, adds: ‘A health campaign should include hints and tips for parents which should provide information on weight and shape comments and fat talk.’

It also urges an end to cosmetic procedures such as lip fillers, Botox and laser treatments for those under the age of 18.

The report takes aim at social media, calling for more to be done to ensure so-called ‘influencers’ make clear which of their material is paid for by companies.

Julie Cameron, of the Mental Health Foundation Scotland and co-chair of the Body

Image Advisory Group, said: ‘An increasing number of young people are feeling stress, shame and unhappiness about their body image and this is being influenced by factors including advertising and social media portraying the idea of stereotypical beauty.

‘We believe measures can be put in place to support young people and help them develop good body image.’

Minister for Mental Health Clare Haughey said: ‘We know that body image is an issue that matters to young people. This was the main driver for establishing the Advisory Group last year. We will respond to these recommendations in the coming weeks.’