If you’re a parent, teacher, or anyone else who’s being encouraged these days to focus on what kids eat and what they weigh, please read this:
http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2009/03/24/aed-releases-awesome-new-guidelines-for-childhood-obesity-programs/#comment-124485

(I recommend this blog generally if you’re interested in body image issues, but I really wanted to share this particular post.)

These are guidelines on how to make all kids healthier, without focusing on weight. Which is important. Focusing on weight and weight reduction encourages disordered eating behaviors (and the lifelong health problems those can cause), lowers self-esteem (which has a multitude of other negative effects which can, again, be lifelong) – and the vast majority of the time, won’t turn a fat kid thin. (It’s not particularly good for adults either, but kids are way more vulnerable because their bodies and minds are still developing.)

This is a much more sensible approach. I’d love to think that it might spread to the UK, but I doubt it somehow…