UK parents given free number to call and told 'avoid phrase' with their children

The director of Childline has issued advice10:26, 27 Jul 2026Children experiencing concerns over body image and eating disorders and their parents have been given advice by the director of Childline. Shaun Friel said that last year the service, operated by the NSPCC, delivered more than 3,300 counselling sessions to young people with such concerns last year.Shaun said more than 900 of the sessions mentioned calorie counting or food restriction and almost a third of sessions took place between June and August as young people looked forward to the summer weather and holidays. Where age was known, the majority of counselling sessions were delivered to children aged between 12 and 15, while six per cent of all sessions on this topic were delivered to under-11s.He said: "Our counsellors heard f