The children as young as THREE with body issues: Nearly a third of nursery staff have heard youngsters describe themselves as fat or ugly

A quarter of staff reported children being ‘unhappy with their appearance’
1 in 5 children have been seen to reject food for fear it will ‘make them fat’
Survey was by Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years
Blamed images on television, animation films and in story books
Research links body image issues in childhood to risk of eating disorders

Kate Pickles For Mailonline

Published:
18:00 EST, 30 August 2016

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Updated:
18:30 EST, 30 August 2016

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Children as young as three are showing signs of being unhappy with their body image, according to a survey of childcare professionals.

Almost a third of nursery and school staff said they had heard a child label themselves fat while 10 per cent said they had heard a child say they felt ugly.

Nearly a quarter said they had ‘seen signs’ children aged between three and five were ‘unhappy with their appearance or bodies’.

This figure nearly doubled to almost half of six-to-10-year-olds.

The survey by the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years found a third of pre-school and nursery staff had heard a child call themselves ugly (file image)

About one in five children has been seen to reject food because ‘it will make them fat’, according to the study.

The research was conducted by the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (Pacey) this summer.

Dr Jacqueline Harding, an adviser to the group, said ‘contributing factors’ were likely to include television and images in story books and animations.

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‘We know for sure that early experiences matter the most and we need to be very careful about how (even inadvertently) we signal to children that they should think negatively about their bodies and how they look,’ she said.

‘There is also research evidence to suggest that some four-year-olds are aware of strategies as to how to lose weight.’

It follows an investigation last year where researchers tracked 6,000 children from their primary years to the age of 14 in the largest UK study of juvenile eating disorders.

Children as young as eight were found to be dissatisfied with their bodies – with the most unhappy facing a higher risk of teenage eating disorders.

Relatively small increases in self-esteem at that age reduced the risk of later eating disorders, they found.

The charity suggested parents could help with body confidence issues by encouraging children to focus on who they are as a person rather than what they look like

In the latest study, experts admitted the sample size of 361 meant more research was needed in this age group.

But Dr Harding said there were simple tips parents could follow including talking about their own bodies in a positive way.

She also suggests building their self-confidence and self-image by focusing on who they are as a person – rather than what they look like.

For example, praising them for acts of kindness towards others and not for looking pretty or handsome.

Pacey is the early years partner for Be Real, a movement campaigning to change body image attitudes aiming to put health above appearance in young people.

Denise Hatton, chief executive of YMCA England which is also part of the campaign, said the survey was the latest in a growing body of evidence highlighting the worrying trend.

‘Body confidence issues are prevalent among young people today and the survey results add to the array of evidence that suggests intervention at a young age is necessary,’ she said.

‘This is why the Be Real Campaign is working with partners such as PACEY to develop resources and materials to help schools, parents and students challenge the way young people view and talk about their bodies.’