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Children shun fictional 'fat Alfie' | Children shun fictional 'fat Alfie' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Young children reject story characters who are obese, a study suggests. | Young children reject story characters who are obese, a study suggests. |
In experiments with more than 100 UK primary school pupils aged four to seven, investigators found the children voiced negative views about a fictional book character called 'fat Alfie'. | In experiments with more than 100 UK primary school pupils aged four to seven, investigators found the children voiced negative views about a fictional book character called 'fat Alfie'. |
The children said fat Alfie was less likely to be invited to parties and was more likely to be naughty than thinner characters. | The children said fat Alfie was less likely to be invited to parties and was more likely to be naughty than thinner characters. |
Crucially, few said they would choose him to be their friend. | Crucially, few said they would choose him to be their friend. |
Most said they would befriend a slim Alfie, however. | Most said they would befriend a slim Alfie, however. |
Overall, they were also more positive about a wheelchair-using Alfie. | |
Books depicting either a fat or thin girl called Alfina as the central character elicited similarly polarised responses from a second group of 150 reception and year one schoolchildren. | Books depicting either a fat or thin girl called Alfina as the central character elicited similarly polarised responses from a second group of 150 reception and year one schoolchildren. |
Each storybook covered the same plot - three children and what happened when their cat got stuck in a tree - using colour illustrations and a simple text narrative. The books only differed in the way that the main character was drawn. | Each storybook covered the same plot - three children and what happened when their cat got stuck in a tree - using colour illustrations and a simple text narrative. The books only differed in the way that the main character was drawn. |
The University of Leeds team, who are presenting their work at a European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, say the findings show that young children are aware of the huge societal interest in body size. | The University of Leeds team, who are presenting their work at a European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, say the findings show that young children are aware of the huge societal interest in body size. |
Lead researcher Prof Andrew Hill said: "Young kids like this are a social barometer. They are telling us that society is so conscious of body shape that even young children are able to mirror back what we say about obesity. | Lead researcher Prof Andrew Hill said: "Young kids like this are a social barometer. They are telling us that society is so conscious of body shape that even young children are able to mirror back what we say about obesity. |
"We have a real habit of equating fatness with bad and children are reflecting this back to us. | "We have a real habit of equating fatness with bad and children are reflecting this back to us. |
"Parents and teachers should be aware of this." | "Parents and teachers should be aware of this." |
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