What happened to the children who went to fat camps: They’ve fallen out of favour – but Destiny says her stint changed her life. Now, as childhood obesity soars, is it time to bring them back?
Childhood Obesity and the Rise of Fat Camps
Destiny Deakin, now 25, sports a striking blonde mane and maintains a fit physique. At 5ft 8in and 9st 5lb—equivalent to a size eight—she embraces daily exercise and a balanced diet. Yet, her journey to this state was far from smooth. As a 12-year-old, she weighed 14.5 stone, sporting an adult size 18 and facing harsh teasing at school. Colleagues dubbed her “beefburger girl,” a label that shaped her early struggles with self-esteem.
From Bullying to Transformation
Destiny attributes her turnaround to a now-obsolete program. Between 12 and 14, she participated in two six-week residential weight-loss camps, where she adopted healthier habits and shed two stone. The Bradford-based MoreLife initiative stood alone in the UK, prioritizing sustainable lifestyle shifts over quick fixes. Her story was featured in a BBC Three documentary titled *I Know What You Weighed Last Summer*, which aired a decade ago.
“The boys in my class would bully me, calling me fat or ‘beefburger girl.’ I would put on a brave face, but go home and feel so sad.”
Though Destiny was active in netball and dance, she found cross country and swimming lessons challenging. “We were forced to run in cross country, which I found hard because of my weight, and I lagged behind my friends,” she recalls. “I ended up making excuses each week, saying I was on my period or that my leg hurt. Swimming was the worst, and I would make my mum write me a sick note to avoid the swimsuit.”
She admits to indulging in sweets, energy drinks, and chocolate bars after school, often hiding wrappers to avoid her mother’s notice. “Mum would send me to school with fruit, and it’d still be in my bag at the end of the day because I didn’t want it,” she says. “She would ask why I was so sad, and say things like, ‘Do you think you’d feel better if you lost some weight?’ But to me, it just felt like she was being mean.”
Controversy and Modern Interventions
Destiny’s camp experience marked a pivotal moment, helping her rebuild her health and form lasting habits. However, such programs have since lost popularity, with critics in the US highlighting concerns about stigma and psychological effects. Despite this, UK childhood obesity rates continue to climb. Official data reveals that 10% of English children enter school overweight, rising to 20% by secondary education. These children are five times more likely to remain overweight into adulthood, facing heightened risks of conditions like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
In response, medical professionals are increasingly relying on interventions such as weight-loss injections or surgery. A recent report indicates 400 children have been prescribed NHS treatments like Mounjaro and Wegovy, with the youngest being just nine years old. This trend has sparked debate over whether lifestyle changes are being overlooked in favor of quicker fixes.
Reviving Fat Camps?
Destiny insists her time at the camp was transformative. “I knew that if I went to camp, I wouldn’t be able to have any of this,” she says, referencing the treats at her grandmother’s. “It gave me a chance to reset my habits and take control of my health.” As childhood obesity surges, questions linger: Could fat camps, once a staple, make a comeback in the fight against weight-related challenges?
