FAT IS FAT, IN ANYONE'S LANGUAGE.

There are times when I truly believe that I'm living in some sort of lunatic asylum.

Yesterday's 'Daily Telegraph' carried a report about a school in Milton Keynes, the head teacher of which wrote to parents about the health of their children. He is reported to have said "Our children, overall, are fatter and more obese than other children in Milton Keynes". He went on to urge children to walk to school, adding "They could really do with a lot more exercise".

I suppose it is not surprising that, in our crazy world, the head's words have caused an outcry. He has been accused of 'fat-shaming', a term entirely new to me, with one parent apparently saying "It is simply not acceptable for the head to 'fat-shame' our children, especially when this is supposed to be a Christian school". What Christianity has to do with being fat escapes me, but the head did write again apologising if his use of the word 'fatter' had caused offense, before going on to explain his position. 

In support of his views, the head, a Dr Humphreys, explained that while on entry to the school, at age 4, some 15% of children at the school were deemed to be overweight or obese (as measured by their BMI), by the age of 11 this proportion had risen to 43%, 9% higher than the national average and something which caused the head to be concerned; for me, that the national average shows a third of children to be overweight or obese at the age of 11 is, itself, terrifying. 

Shockingly this kerfuffle has been commented on by a Denise Hatton, chief executive of the YMCA and founder of something called the 'Be Real Campaign'. Ms Hatton has criticised the head's choice of words and gone on to say that where language is used incorrectly it can have a devastating effect. She added "The comments made by Dr Humphreys are not helpful especially when delivered from a trusted adult. We have to ensure that schools are a place for young people to feel confident in their bodies, not shamed into losing weight".

Now I may be old fashioned but I've never read such utter drivel as voiced by Ms Hatton, nor seen such a perversion of reality. Whether children are overweight or obese is largely a matter of fact and not opinion. For anyone to suggest that Dr Humphreys' words were 'unhelpful' or his language 'incorrect' is astonishing; all he did was to tell the unvarnished truth, something of which we hear far too little in these days of insane political correctness. Far from the nonsense voiced by Ms Hatton, both schools and parents have an absolute duty to ensure that their children are fit and healthy, not fat and unhealthy because of some ludicrous notions that they have to be protected from ever being told the truth about themselves.

I find it absolutely incredible that Dr Humphreys is being pilloried for trying to encourage better care for his children, that parents have been 'offended' and that someone in charge of the YMCA should spout such rubbish in support of his opponents. What on earth has happened to basic common sense, not to mention an understanding of the real world in which at least some of us still live ?