New TV series features kids who help each other
An 11 year old boy and a girl, aged 12, help each other to change their damaging eating habits as part of a new television show ‘Supersize vs. Superskinny Kids’ to be shown on Channel 4. Declan is 5 ft 2in, and weighed in at 11st 6lb. Caitlin is 5ft 3in and barely weighed 6st. While Declan was eating in excess of 3000 calories a day, which consisted of fizzy pop and chocolate, Caitlin survived on a diet of crisps, sweets and chocolate, just 1500 calories a day. The new Channel 4 series changed all that by providing the kids with information about the food they were eating, introducing Declan to sport and other activities and helping Caitlin to try new foods.
The pair became friends during the filming of the series, vowing to stay in touch and meet up at Easter. Caitlin has gained 9lbs after being shown that she needs a healthy nutritious diet to become a prima ballerina. Since filming the show, she has won a place in the youth production of Coppelia and had auditions at top ballet schools. Declan has lost an incredible 11lbs and gained an interest in sporting activities, which he would never have thought possible previously.
Dr Christian Jessen presents the show and focuses on the problems that kids can have with food. As the number of obese kids has increased over the last 20 years, kids admitted to hospital with eating disorders has risen by 125 percent in the last ten years. Each programme in the series will concentrate on one overweight child and one underweight child. Experts will work on why the children have problems with food, and help them to get back on track with a healthy diet.
Declan, who is from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, applied to go on the show without his parent’s knowledge. He admits that he wanted to stop eating but just didn’t know how. His mum blames herself for not taking control, with the whole family realising that he was eating too much. Caitlin’s mum also admits that she was letting her daughter take control and feels guilty at her lack of action.
This television series may offer an insight as to why eating problems occur and what action we can take to prevent it happening in the first place.