Training to assist obese children

The charity Combating Obesity With Education and Balance (Cobwebs) will provide workshops and training to teachers to demonstrate the problem of underachievement among obese children and what teachers can do to help.

Director Patricia Sadio said the project took a psychosocial approach to obesity, rather than a medical one. "It's not about awareness of weight loss, but about children's achievement. High levels of stress and anxiety among obese children mean they don't want to attract attention and are not forthcoming in asking questions in class."

The training also looks at how teachers often discriminate against and overlook obese children without being aware of it.

"It's not just peers but adults that can pass comment," said Sadio. "We give teachers tools on how to notice if a colleague might actually be adding to a child's problem."

The project is due to be rolled out across Huddersfield in May with funding for two years from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.