Plus-size fashion ranges ‘cover up the obesity crisis’ as people misperceive their weight, according to major study

Efforts to reduce the stigma associated with “plus-size” body shapes may actually be undermining the campaign to tackle the UK’s obesity crisis, experts warned today.

A study linked the growth of clothing ranges for larger individuals with an increasing number of people who are underestimating their weight.

So-called “weight misperception” is an unintended negative consequence of attempts to promote “body positivity” that could blind people to the health risks of being overweight, they said.

The research, from the University of East Anglia, analysed data from 23,460 people in England who were overweight or obese.

It mentioned clothing ranges such as Curve, the plus-size womenswear from Marks & Spencer that is tailored and marketed to “flatter curvy women”. For men, former England cricketer Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff promotes extra-large sizes in the Jacamo range.

The report, published in the journal Obesity, highlighted the practice in the UK and America of “vanity sizing”, which involves clothing manufacturers labelling garments with a smaller size than the actual cut.

Awareness of being overweight is considered a pre-requisite for attempts to lose weight. Almost two thirds of UK adults are overweight, including more than one in four who are classed as being clinically obese.

Lead researcher Dr Raya Muttarak, a senior UEA lecturer, said: “Seeing the huge potential of the fuller-sized fashion market, retailers may have contributed to the normalisation of being overweight and obese.

“While this type of body positive movement helps reduce stigmatisation of larger-sized bodies, it can potentially undermine the recognition of being overweight and its health consequences.

“The increase in weight misperception in England is alarming and possibly a result of this normalisation.”

An analysis of data from the Health Survey for England over almost two decades showed that weight misperception rose from 48 per cent to 58 per cent in overweight men and 24.5 per cent to 31 per cent in overweight women.

Yesterday plus-size model Felicity Hayward hit back at a “body-shamer” who told her she was “too fat” to wear a crop top when they passed in the street. She tweeted: “You picked on the wrong babe to try and hurt.”

Plus-size fashion blogger Lauren Nicole told how modelling in her swimwear after being spotted on Instagram helped her to overcome body issues.