Young people worry about their weight

A recent MORI survey reveals that one in four children as young as 11 worries about being overweight.

Girls worry more about their weight than boys. Almost half of girls (45%) were anxious about being overweight, while only 21% of boys said that it bothered them.

Just over a quarter of children said that the appearance of their skin or teeth worried them. Twelve per cent said they were worried about their nose or a scar from an accident or operation.

Worries about appearance seem to increase as children get older. Thirty eight per cent of children by the time they are aged 15/16 express concern about being overweight, compared to 25% of 11 year olds. Thirteen per cent of eleven year olds mention skin as a worry, but thirty seven per cent express concern by the age of 15/16.

Children who consider themselves from 'poor/not well-off' families seem to be more insecure about their weight. Forty-one per cent, are worried about being overweight compared with around one third (32%) of pupils from 'well-off' backgrounds. Around a third (31%) of children from less affluent families expressed concern about their skin compared with around a quarter (26%) among the more affluent.

Technical details

MORI interviewed 4,295 children aged 11-16 in England and Wales, in state schools, between 14 October - 12 November 1996.Data have been weighted by age, sex and region.