Telling someone they're fat makes them eat MORE

Those who are made to feel ashamed about their size are six times as likely to become obese, a study has found.Experts say that being criticised for their weight drives those who are already sensitive about it to comfort eat. Fear of ridicule may also mean they avoid exercise.Researchers from University College London said that the obesity crisis could be eased by teaching people – including doctors – that it is counterproductive to discriminate against others because they are overweight.They said that public health campaigns should also avoid making people feel bad about their weight. Lead author Sarah Jackson advises medics to avoid using the word ‘fat’ where possible and replace it with the terms overweight or obese.The study involved almost 3,000 English men and women aged 50-plus who were weighed twice, four years apart. They were also asked if they had been discriminated against because of their weight.Examples of this included being treated with disrespect – including being the butt of jokes – receiving poorer service in shops, restaurants, hospitals and doctors’ surgeries, being threatened and being assumed to be stupid.Some 5 per cent said they had been treated differently because of their weight – with the figure rising to 36 per cent among those who were the most overweight.The study, published in the journal Obesity, found that those who were victims of ‘fat shaming’ put on just over 2lb on average over the course of the study. They were also six times as likely to become obese.In contrast, those who were not criticised for their weight actually became slimmer, albeit by a small amount. Dr Jackson said: ‘Our results show that weight discrimination does not encourage weight loss and suggest that it may even exacerbate weight gain.‘Previous studies have shown that people who experience discrimination report comfort eating.(dailymail.co.uk)Bakudaily.Az