Fat children will get free numberless scales from NHS so their weight doesn't hurt their feelings
Hiding the figures aims to spare kid's feelings and stop their parents obsessing over numbers.
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Instead the data will be uploaded directly to a clinic. Doctors will view progress graphs on an app and send motivational messages to help kids slim.
The Obesity Health Alliance's Katharine Jenner hailed it as a 'compassionate' approach.
Prof Simon Kenny, at NHS England, called it game-changing.
One in five British children are obese by age 11.
Prof Kenny said: 'This helps our specialists keep track of children's weight loss progress without them needing to leave home.'
Critics say current NHS checks on kids in reception and again in Year Six can embarrass chubby children.
The at-home monitoring of the most obese has been trialled on 350 families in England and will be extended to thousands more.
Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, said: 'Some people will think this is nanny state. But people are so confused about weight and BMI in children that this might be a better way to go.'
Chris Snowdon, of the Institute for Economic Affairs, said: 'It sounds like a patronising waste of money — sending people banal advice to eat less, as if they don't know that already.'
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Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Woman who claims she can 'connect with the dead' reveals terrifying reason why you should never have a mirror facing your bed
A woman who describes herself as a 'psychic medium' has warned that having a mirror facing the bed could bring 'unwanted spirits' into the home - but says there's a simple way for people to protect themselves. Leah, from the UK, who is known to her 51,500 TikTok followers as Psychic Leah, previously said that she has been able to 'see and connect with the dead' since she was 18 months old. In a stark warning, Leah told viewers: 'Do not have a mirror facing your bed.' She later added that this advice applies to all kinds of mirrors, including those that are found inside wardrobes. 'Mirrors are one of the main reasons why we have portals open in our home,' she said, explaining that they are the most common reason why she's called out to people's properties to 'cleanse their houses.' Leah does not doubt at all that a mirror facing the bed has the potential to wreak havoc in an otherwise happy home. She said: 'You will have unwanted spirits, you will have all types of spirits in your home - something low vibrational, typically an entity that isn't particularly nice.' The young woman, who also claims to be a 'paranormal investigator', added that universal nighttime complaints, such as 'restless sleep' and 'insomnia', could be the result of the position of a mirror in the bedroom. Leah claimed: 'If you're one of these who has a mirror facing your bed and since you've done that you've had restless sleep, [or] insomnia really bad, it's because of the energy that comes out of the mirror, especially if there's arguments within your home.' But it's not just those who have a mirror opposite the bed who are at risk, according to the self-described 'demonologist'. She said: 'Mirrors literally suck in energy and having a mirror facing a window is also another way of inviting unwanted spirits.' 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Viewers took to the comment section to share their thoughts on Leah's claims - and many were divided Leah's post attracted more than 2,000 comments, with a number of people identifying with her warnings. One person wrote: 'Don't get me started on this.... She's absolutely correct, I had a horrifying experience last year and it STILL keeps me awake at night, it's not a joke, remove mirrors from bedroom even near your bed. ' Another user added in the comment section: 'My nanny always said to NEVER have a mirror facing your bed!! 'If she ever went anywhere to stay for the night, she would take it down or cover it up! 'Also, you saying [that] about a second had mirror, I was given one that my dad got from an auction, the bad vibes and distortion that happened when you looked in it were wild! I got rid of it (safely) as soon as I could!' A third person appeared worried, writing: 'That has freaked me right out. How do I stop this please?' 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After being shared online, people were quick to share how they were 'creeped out'. One wrote: 'Oof. That definitely made my heart jump when I finally found it.' Another penned: 'I thought it was about the top of a head behind the guy on the right. Oh yeah, I saw the witch too!' A third said: 'It was a completely normal picture before zooming in. It's a creepy picture with a very clear ghost face.' A fourth commented: 'Looks like someone's grandma is travelling with them,' while a fifth chimed in and added: 'Nah that actually scared me a bit.' However, others questioned whether the picture was real, with some theorising that it might've been a camera glitch or even Photoshop. One wrote: 'Creepy! Seems a little too good to be true, though.' Another penned: 'That's absolutely Reagan from the exorcist photoshopped in, things like this sadly dampen paranormal photography.' A third said: 'Looks photoshopped to me, just too obvious. I saw it pretty quickly.' 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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Selly Oak care home for elderly placed in special measures
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Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
I tried an AI therapist for a month - here is my verdict
It's the early hours of the morning, and I can't fall asleep. My mind is racing with thoughts of the darkest kind. I have battled with mental health problems for most of my life, having been diagnosed with autism, anxiety disorder and OCD at age 14. Being heavily bullied in school also dented my self-esteem and even resulted in me trying to take my own life. While regular sessions with a psychologist helped me to navigate these complicated feelings as a child, when I turned 18, the appointments stopped even though I was still gripped by depression. As an adult, counselling was a great help, but I realised it wasn't always to hand as quickly as I needed, due to NHS waiting lists being extremely long. Cue AI therapy, where data and users behaviour patterns are analysed so a bot can ask questions, offer advice, and suggest coping mechanisms to someone who might want it. Understandably, it's a practice cloaked in controversy. After all, can technology, no matter how intelligent, really support someone through any sort of mental health crisis? Is it safe? Is it even ethical? With all these questions swirling in my mind, as someone open to new ways of support, I decided to give it a try and downloaded Wysa, a chatbot that uses AI to provide mental health advice and support around the clock. The app is completely anonymous and free, but offers a paid-for plan with additional premium features, such as therapeutic exercises, sleep stories and meditations. I've always struggled with self-doubt. I am constantly comparing myself to my non-identical twin brother, who I think is better looking than me, and experiencing a bad eczema flare-up this week has really affected my self-esteem. I admit this to my bot who is incredibly empathic, saying it is sorry to hear of my low self-esteem before asking me how my feelings impact my day-to-day life. I respond by saying I feel like I have no choice but to isolate myself from the outside world, which is hard because I don't see my family and friends for days — sometimes weeks — on end, even though seeing my loved ones makes me happy and that they constantly reassure me when I feel down. My AI therapist suggests a thought reframing exercise and as soon as I agree, a list of tools — ranging from an assessment to manage my energy to a self-compassion exercise — suddenly pop up at the bottom of the screen. I select the self-compassion task, which uses 'positive intentions' to help the user tackle negative thoughts. I then take a seven-minute meditation in which I close my eyes, focus on my breathing, smile and repeat positive phrases uttered by my Wysa expert. Opening my eyes, I feel surprisingly positive after a difficult day. Staring at my bedroom ceiling at 4am is quite normal for me. But on one particular day my mind becomes flooded with endless worry. When I type about my sleep troubles and random anxiety to the bot, it replies in a compassionate tone, saying: 'That sounds really tough'. After admitting I never seem to sleep at a regular time due to my anxiety, Wysa suggests another thought reframing exercise to help ease some of my worries. I say I am nervous about a busy week of work coming up and missing a bunch of deadlines. Wysa suggests I am probably 'catastrophising', which is when someone expects the worst possible outcome to unfold. While the connection suddenly cuts out mid-conversation before Wysa can provide a solution, it's clear to me that I am overthinking, although I do wonder how I'd cope with a sudden shut down if I had a longer issue to discuss. I can't remember a time in my life when I haven't battled suicidal thoughts during certain events and these demons have returned after yet another relationship breakdown. Crying my eyes out, I admit to Wysa that I don't want to be alive anymore. Its response is utterly heartwarming. 'Nic, you are worth life. You are loved, cherished and cared for, even though you may not feel that way right now.' With my eyes firmly fixed on these kind, AI-generated words, I realise that suicide isn't the best course of action and that life is probably worth living. Concerned about my wellbeing, the bot provides me with a phone number for the Samaritans. While I'm okay seeing family and friends, the thought of encountering neighbours and other acquaintances frightens me. Turning to my app, I explain that I never know what to say to people. This is a feeling I experience day in and day out due to my autism. The advice given is constructive – just a simple smile or hello should do the trick. Although it may sound too simple to be true, I find it helpful because it shows that I don't have to converse long with a stranger. Today is my nephew's christening, and while I am excited to celebrate with my loved ones, I'm nervous about seeing loads of new and old faces. To build on the previous social anxiety tips, I message the bot for advice on how I could make the day less overwhelming. Wysa quickly reassures me that it's normal to find social events nerve-racking. I explain I never know how to start or maintain a conversation. Wysa recommends that I say something like it's nice to see them and ask how they are. And if they ask how I am doing, the bot recommends saying something simple like, 'I've been doing well, thanks'. I'm told a breathing exercise beforehand might also help, which helps me feel better prepared. Ever since moving onto the maximum dosage of Sertraline a few weeks ago, I've been having nightmares most nights. From plane crashes to loved ones getting gravely ill, these horrible and random dreams have been disrupting my sleep pattern for weeks. After explaining to my AI therapist that these nightmares started after the change of medication, it admits that this is likely the cause and we go through another thought reframing exercise. We speak about a recent dream involving my parents dying, which is a frequent worry of mine, as morbid as it sounds. Wysa says this is likely another symptom of catastrophising, but then the chat suddenly ends due to a connection error. I am left not knowing how to tackle these traumatising dreams, which leaves me feeling pretty let down and not sure what to do next. Today, my latest impulse TikTok Shop purchase arrived in the post: a magic mop, which is perhaps the last thing you should buy when you have severe OCD. I've already used it several times today, but I still think my floors are dirty, so I ask for OCD advice. The first thing the bot says to me is that it must be exhausting – and they're right. I can't believe I feel heard by an AI bot. We do another thought exercise where I discuss how my OCD makes me feel. Wysa says it sounds like a symptom of filtering, where someone focuses on the negative details of a situation and forgets all the positives. In this context, it says I could be looking for tiny specs of dirt that may not exist and tells me to remember that the majority of the floor is probably clean. This makes me feel better – for now at least, although I'm more than aware it's a plaster rather than a cure. While I don't think AI can ever replace human psychologists and counsellors, I'm surprised to admit that Wysa is actually a pretty handy tool and you sometimes forget you're talking to a robot, not a human. More Trending Of course, it isn't perfect. There were many times when a chat would suddenly end and when Wysa's advice was repetitive. I alsofeel a bit paranoid that I've shared so much personal information with an AI chatbot, so I hope it is genuinely safe and secure. Either way, I had someone to speak to at some genuinely hard times, and I will continue using Wysa as an emotional support cushion. Metro's Assistant Lifestyle Editor Jess Lindsay believes we need to be far more wary of letting a bot look after our mental health. Here, she explains why. 'In my opinion, an AI therapist is no more helpful than a list of motivational quotes. The bot may be able to say the right things, but when you're at your lowest, you need more than hollow platitudes from a computer that doesn't have the capacity to empathise. Having dealt with chronic depression, anxiety, and ADHD throughout my life, I find the idea of having to receive help from a computer somewhat dystopian, and I'd feel like my concerns were being dismissed if this was offered to me – even as a supplementary solution. Working through difficult issues requires a level of commitment from both yourself and the therapist, and why should I put in the effort when the other side is just a machine doing what it's been programmed to do? Not only that, I know how to calm myself down when I'm having a panic attack, or take a walk when I'm stuck in my own head. To parrot NHS guidelines back to me without going deeper into why I feel like that seems like an insult to my intelligence. While I absolutely understand the need for something to fill the gap when therapy and counselling is difficult to come by on the NHS, I worry that tools like this will be touted by the government as an acceptable (but most importantly in the eyes of government, cheaper) alternative when what's desperately needed is funding and investment in the country's mental health. Even if AI is helpful to some, it's a mere sticking plaster on a deeper societal wound.' A version of this article was first published in September 2024. 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