Photo: USDAgov / Flickr

Marks and Spencer is in the early stages of introducing a range of clothing that will cater to heavily overweight children, and anti-obesity campaigners see the move as further evidence that childhood obesity is becoming more and more widespread. The range includes clothing for preschoolers that comes in a size normally worn by eight-year-olds, and follows an apparent demand for clothing in these sizes.

Following demand

Marks and Spencer has said that the schoolwear range has been launched in response to demand from parents. A spokesperson said in a statement that ‘It is a small online trial running in response to customer demand. Marks and Spencer is the leading schoolwear retailer and we want to make sure our schoolwear range is accessible for children of all shapes and sizes’. There’s little doubt that there is demand for school clothes of this size – and that’s what campaigners find disturbing.

Recognition of what’s already known

Campaigners against childhood obesity have said that the introduction of plus-size uniforms is ‘commercial recognition’ of the problem of obesity in children of pre-school age. It’s been found that more than one in five British children start their school careers overweight – around 27 per cent of first-time entrants to primary school weigh more than they should, and many of them even reach weights that classify them as obese.

Stopping the spread

To keep childhood obesity down, campaigners have said, parents must take an active role in their children’s health. So what’s the best way to do this? Regular exercise is important, as is active outdoor play from a young age. Parents should try to provide home-cooked food as often as possible to avoid hidden fats and sugars in takeaways, and make sure that children are well-informed about nutrition so that they can make their own healthy food choices when they need to.

Tags: obesity