Cancer charity hits back over ‘fat-shaming’

CANCER Research UK (CRUK) has toned down a campaign warning of the dangers of obesity to avoid scaring overweight people, but defended itself against critics who accused it of “fatshaming”.

In a pilot last year, the charity posted advertisements on billboards stating: “Obesity causes cancer”. This was altered to “Obesity is a cause of cancer” for this year’s full campaign. Last night, Prof Linda Bauld, who leads the CRUK’S prevention efforts, said the alteration was to make it “absolutely clear that not everyone who is overweight or obese is going to get cancer”.

Sofie Hagen, a comedian, has demanded the campaign be scrapped for “fat-shaming”. But Prof Bauld said that the widespread criticism risked “undermining science”. Published yesterday in the British Journal of Cancer, research by the charity found excess weight now causes 6.3 per cent of all cancer cases, up from 5.5 per cent in 2011.

“Criticism of a campaign pointing out a health risk feeds public confusion and risks undermining science,” said Prof Bauld.

The Advertising Standards Agency said it had received dozens of complaints about the campaign accusing it of being “offensive” and “inciting bullying” of overweight people.