Liverpool Council is apparently considering banning the use of the word "obesity" in its literature aimed at children.
The decision comes after the Liverpool Schools Parliament, made up of 9 to 11 year olds who are asked to give their views to the council, asked that the description ‘unhealthy weight’ be used instead to describe children with dangerous weight problems.
The children on the council said that they considered the word ‘obese’ to be offensive and feared that its use might discourage overweight children from taking action to get healthy.
The proposal is not certain to go through, but a spokesperson for the council said that it would be considered as part of a request for ideas as part of its Children and Young People’s Plan. If it is accepted then it will become part of the official strategy to improve health in the area.
Liverpool is known as an obesity blackspot, with over half of all boys aged eleven and 40% of all girls classified as obese.
Obesity charity Child Growth Foundation has criticised the proposal, saying that it encourages children to ignore the realities of life. Spokeswomen Tamsin Fry said that by using phrases like unhealthy weight, officials would just be fudging the problem.
She added that for clinicians, obese was a word that clearly states that someone has a Body Mass Index over 30, the point at when their health is seriously at risk. She said that people who reach this point need to understand the severity of the problem.