Teen 24: Being overweight

In the last of BBC News 24's series on young people, Louise, 13, from London, talks about tackling her weight problem

To read this week's other story, about one teenager's experience of crime, follow the link below:

Kids and crime

LOUISE, 13

Some people don't understand how difficult it is to lose weight, says Louise

I've been called fat. I've been called big. I've been called heavy.

When people call me names it makes me feel sad, it makes me feel like shutting people out.

When I was eight lots of things started happening with my friends and family. I realised that I was eating more and putting on more weight.

I used to eat a lot of junk food - crisps, biscuits, pizza and so on.

Nutritionists recommended diets, drinking eight cups of water and other things.

But, the thing is, they didn't realise just how difficult it can be to lose weight.

When people call me names it makes me want to crawl off into a corner and stay there

'Mend' is a special kids' programme which is based on exercise and healthy eating. It stands for mind, exercise, nutrition - and "do it!".

It's different because the people are so friendly and kind.

They don't try to force anything on you. They just say go off and see if you can lose weight. If you can't, you try to reach your goal another week.

It's a series of little steps.

I have been eating fruit and vegetables five times a day and drinking two litres of water. I've been walking loads more, playing football riding my bike. It's been really fun and healthy.

Size affects my life.

OBESITY FACTS An estimated one in four 11 to 15-year-olds are overweight or obese in the UK (Source: BUPA website) 24% of the population within the UK can be defined as clinically obese. This makes the UK the fattest country in Europe (Source: Department of Health) On current trends nearly a third of men will be obese by 2010 (Source: Department of Health)

I'm not able to do some sports I'd love to try.

I can't wear some clothes or hairstyles I want to because it doesn't suit the size I am.

When people call me names it makes me want to crawl off into a corner and stay there.

But I want to change that. I just want to be who I am.

I would love to see someone big on TV - so they can give everyone like me the courage to say, 'I want to be something'.

I am sort of self-conscious, but even if I don't reach my weight goal I just want to be able to accept myself the way I am.

If you want to find out more about problems associated with being overweight consult the Mend Programme or the National Obesity Forum:

Mend

National Obesity Forum

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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Have you been affected by similar issues? You can send us your experiences using the form below:

Your comments:

I myself was bullied for being underweight but I know how hard it is to be judged so harshly by ignorant fools. However I decided to do something about it and for the past 10 years or so I have been eating healthy food and exercising daily in the gym - even though I rarely want to. I am now a health 14 stone (at 6'4") of muscle and believe me, those bullies are now scared of me and I am happy being who I am. In the end the only person that can change you, is you. Remember you can do it
Stephen, Caerphilly

Can I firstly start with 'BIG is BEAUTIFUL' - You're probably thinking from this comment I'm on the 'lardy' side myself and you'd be right, but why does this mean I'm any less of a person than anyone else? I'm lucky in the fact I have wonderful friends who are also a bit on the large size but we don't care what other people think and if I wanna wear tight tops then I will. Too many people are concerned with being stereotypical stick insects and conforming but I say be yourself and if people cant accept you for who you are then they're probably not worth knowing. Fat is here to stay!
Rob, Bournemouth

I have been overweight since I was in single-figures (I'm now 28) and it has ruined most of my life. I got bullied - verbally, physically and mentally - at school, and because of that and (then undiagnosed) learning disorders, I started binge eating and self-harming and was put on anti-depressants at 15 - which I'm still on now. When I left school my self-esteem was in minus figures and I'm still trying to get it back. I've been verbally abused by strangers and had snide comments made at me - I'm a size 22 now - and I've lost count of the number of times I've cancelled going out because I've looked in the mirror before leaving the house and hated what I see.

I eat fresh fruit and veg, cook most nights (including fresh soups), walk every day and go horse-riding and swimming most weeks. I work full-time and try to cram in as much exercise as I can around my shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. that I have to do. The biggest negative legacy my size has left me is that I am unable to hold down a relationship because of my self-esteem problems and my now permanent distrust of people.
Sharon, London, UK

When I was 11 I suddenly began gaining weight. About two stone of puppy fat hung around for years, no matter what I did - the other kids at school were merciless and I was severely bullied. This led me to seek happiness in food and of course I put on more weight. Once I reached 16/17 I lost all the puppy fat weight in a matter of months - for no particular reason.

The immense difference in the way people treated me without the weight was extraordinary. I realise better than most just how hard it is to get weight off, but much, much more importantly is to be happy with and within yourself. You don't have to be skinny and glamorous to be happy! It took me a long time to realise that.
Mel G, London, UK

I did not experience being overweight, but I was judged constantly for being six foot tall and weighing only seven stone at the age of 15. I was not like this on purpose, but simply couldn't put the weight on. I would hear comments being passed in the street, and was even told I needed to see a dietician about an eating disorder which I didn't have. The comments, bullying and the looks really bothered me, but I have come out the other end accepting who I am and what I have.
Anon

It beats my imagination that big women are seen as unattractive in the UK and the USA. I am a guy and got no weight problem. I weight 165 and have always found only big women between 150 - 200 lbs attractive all my life. Most of my American friends I grew up with call me weird due to my choice as I never find skinny women attractive. Where I came from in Nigeria, a woman has to have enough weight, look healthy to be classed as good looking. It's just totally the opposite here. It makes me laugh
Sunny Ache, Northampton

I was a fat child, and can totally understand what Louise is going through. I used to get called names when I was a child, it made it worse. My parents were not educated in healthy nutrition, and I partly blame them for giving me fatty food as a child. It got better when I was a teen, as I went out more, but that was the 70s and kids don't do enough physically these days. I still have to watch what I eat now, but education is key.
Sharon , London, UK

Why would having fat models and actors and actresses help? It would make the majority of people think being obese is great and would create a big problem for things like the NHS. And if you are very obese and it is caused by a medical condition then yes, you should get treatment and NHS care. But if it is not caused by a condition, you should be refused NHS treatment (excluding info and advice to help you lose weight) until your weight is OK.
Jamie, Letchworth

"I would love to see someone big on TV - so they can give everyone like me the courage to say, 'I want to be something'." What about Chris Moyles, Fern Britten, Pavarotti, Ricky Gervais, Ricky Grover, Peter Kay?
L Fisher, Surrey

I have been extremely big before and it was very hard to carry on, people are so cruel and don't understand what it is like to be big and want to change. Their taunts make it a lot harder as you become defeatist and worn down. My advice is to think about the jabs and name calling and tell yourself, not for long. You will reach your goal, you just have to stay positive and show the junk food who is boss. You can still enjoy a good meal, just make sure you work out to combat it. You are all still wonderful, beautiful people
Vilo, Bournemouth

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