RECENT Government figures reveal that one in five primary school age girls said they had been on a diet.

Soraya Overend, manager of Jamie's Ministry of Food, in Bradford, which provides cookery sessions to equip families, individuals, groups and organisations with basic culinary skills, believes that social media and celebrities have contributed to youngsters feeling body conscious.

"I think there is a lot of pressure on children these days," says Soraya. "Cooking should be fun, eating should be fun. It is a lifetime enjoyment, but a lot of pressure is put on children now, peer pressure, and also to get into that certain dress for the prom."

Soraya's comments come on the back of recent Government figures revealing that girls of primary school-age have been on a diet.

Verner Wheelock, former head of the University of Bradford’s Food Policy and Research Unit who now runs a food training and consultancy service in Skipton, believes the BMI (Body Mass Index) system of measuring body fat based on weight in relation to height is a 'nonsense.'

He says some people with a higher life expectancy are in the overweight category and says it is even more difficult to calculate when it comes to children because they're still growing and there are some muscular children with a higher BMI. "When officials get hold of them they say they have to lose weight, but it's nonsense," says Verner,

He believes there is too much obsession with weight and that many people are given the wrong dietary advice.

Verner advises people to reduce their intake of sugar and carbohydrates, while increasing healthy fats such as olive and coconut oil.

"We are in this mess largely because we've been given the wrong advice on healthy nutrition and the reality is we are eating far too much processed food because it is full of sugar and the wrong kind of fats," says Verner, whose message is: "Just eat real food."

NHS figures also show soaring numbers of children and young people are being taken to hospital because of eating disorders.

Dr Janet Walsh, who heads a specialist child and adolescent eating disorders unit, says: "Young people in particular can feel under enormous pressure to be very popular, look thin and excel in exams.

"Many sufferers from eating disorders are highly competitive in everything they do - and sadly, this can include their attitude to losing weight.

"When other parts of their life seem to be in chaos, limiting eating can make a young person feel more in control.

"Rather than food being labelled as 'good' or 'bad,' it is important to focus on eating a balanced diet, eating three meals a day and participating in regular exercise."

She says it is important not to stigmatise or moralise about size. "The debate is not about being fat or thin and certainly not about encouraging girls to be thin," she says. "In some cases there may also be missed opportunities at school for identifying eating disordered behaviours earlier."

Dr Walsh said she was seeing evidence that some schools were getting better at spotting the signs of eating disorders, and communicating concerns to parents.

"It is quite often a concerned 'phone call from school to a parent that has triggered the young person and their parents to seek professional help," she added.

The number of young girls admitted to hospital with an eating disorder has doubled in the last three years, according to figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Since 2010 The Priory has seen a rise of 85per cent in eating disorder patients aged 12 to 17. Its experts say that exam stress, social media, bullying and the pressure to look slim are all combining to make children's lives unmanageable.

"I would advise parents to look out for signs of their children under-eating and act swiftly if they notice their child consistently going without food, making repeated claims they have already eaten, constantly checking the calories in food, or becoming highly selective in the foods that they will eat," says Dr Walsh.

She also advises parents to discuss their concerns with their children. "Reassure your child that you will support them to eat a normal healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight, but explain the dangers of being underweight. Early intervention is vital and can stop a habit developing into an eating disorder. If things don't improve, speak to your child's GP and request help."