Diet ‘coaches’ body-shaming young people

  • The Sunday People have uncovered many potentially dangerous social media accounts that young people join for weight loss advice.
  • These are being primarily facilitated through Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
  • Children battling eating disorders are being preyed upon by strangers trying to insult them to lose weight.
  • Styling themselves as “coaches” these people offer sessions to young people on decreasing their food intake, using a controversial technique called “meanspo”- being mean to inspire.
  • For more on this story, please visit the Mirror website.

Rise in speech and language therapy need but key positions remain unfilled

  • There has been an 87% rise in the number of children in need of speech and language therapy across Northern Ireland in the past year.
  • The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) have stated that key positions across all five health trusts remain unfilled.
  • The leading industry body have said they are “very concerned” that the current and projected shortfall in therapists will especially affect children.
  • For more on this story, please visit the Belfast Telegraph website.

Almost a fifth of Northern Ireland pre-school children’s diet is unhealthy foods

  • New START campaign research has revealed that 19% of Northern Ireland’s pre-school children’s daily diet consists of unhealthy treat foods.
  • The research also found that a child’s daily calorie intake from unhealthy treat foods increased as they get older with 25% of local primary school children’s diet consisting of treats that are high in fat, sugar, and salt.
  • Currently around 20% of children aged 2-15 years old in Northern Ireland are reported to be overweight and 6% are
  • The START campaign offers support and practical guidance to parents and guardians on how to reduce treats and snacking.
  • For more on this story, please visit the Belfast Live website.