Lifestyles / Health
Blimey!! I Was Massive! Gok Wan

We all know him as the cool, flamboyant dude who makes us feel good about our bodies no matter what size we are, however, when he was a teen, he was 21 stone and unrecognisable.  In his documentary on Channel 4, Too Fat Too Young, Gok Wan returns to his school and remembers his unhappy childhood to face his demons and talks to teens that are now obese and how they are coping with their insecurities.

Gok explained how much he hated school.  He was bullied and taunted.  He was so overweight that he couldn’t wear his school uniform and had to wear a tracksuit.  There was an occasion when he got upset and wet himself when he had to do PE.  The thought of others seeing him in his kit and even naked in the shower repulsed him that much.  He also explained how isolated and lonely he felt.

In general obesity is a huge problem amongst teenagers and not only can it lead to medical problems but emotional turmoil.

Obesity is the condition of being seriously overweight to the point that it affects your health. Nearly one in five 15 years olds are obese and one in five 13 to 16 year olds are overweight.     http://www.growingkids.co.uk/ObesityInTeens.html

Poor diet is one of the main factors, eating many fatty and sugary foods and lack of exercise.  This then leads to a risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.  The psychological impact can be just as damaging.  Teens could suffer from low self esteem, bullying and depression.

Gok interviewed Joe, a 15 year old who was 30 stone.  Gok spent some time with him and realised how uncomfortable he felt being in the outside world, he looked nervous and anxious and Joe confessed that he rarely went out.

He then spent time with Alisha who at the age of 12 was 30 stone and considered taking her own life.  She was bullied and avoided school and spent her time in isolation.  Luckily for her, the local education services offered her counselling and with the counsellor’s help, began to build on her confidence and self esteem.  Alisha was fortunate enough to take up counselling, but many teens are too scared to ask for help or feel too ashamed.  Gok himself admitted he found it hard to communicate with adults and therefore did not receive any help.

“When you’re fat it hurts when someone calls you names or spits at you or prods you.  What you do is you poke fun at yourself and you become self depreciating.”  Gok Wan explains.

If a teen is unhappy with their weight then they need to identify why they are unhappy and to be honest about it.  Having support from family, friends and teachers always helps with their self esteem.  Here are some other tips:

• Eat meals as a family around the table and keep the TV off. 
• Cut down on fizzy drinks and opt for water or a smoothie.
• Eat more fruit and Veg instead of sweets and crisps.
• Cut down on takeaways.
• Take up some type of physical activity i.e. football, swimming, walking, or  riding a bike several times a week.
• Walk instead of getting the bus or take up a paper round.

Gok further added;           
“…..But I don’t regret being fat.  I might have hated it but I don’t think I would have been able to do what I do now if I’d never been a fat person hating my body.”

Kate Winslet recently said in an interview that she was bullied and called blubber.  Once the girls locked her in the room and said blubber is blubbing.  Kate’s response on the show was “Where are you now?”

It might hurt at the time, but in years to come, through maturity, confidence and a positive outlook who knows where you will be and what you will be doing in life.

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