Children who attend East Ayton slimming sessions said they couldn't think of anything worse than having their stomach stapled or a gastric bypass band installed.

The trio spoke out after it was revealed overweight youngsters could soon receive surgery on the NHS to lose weight.

Gemma Nicholson, Charlie Mudd and Sophie Pogson attend the Slimming World group with members of their family.

Seven-year-old Charlie Mudd, of Wydale, Brompton-on-Sawdon, goes with mum Elaine Mudd.

She said: "Charlie has been coming with me to these sessions for nearly a year now and it has been so successful for him. He is young, and some teachers and nurses were saying that he needs to be more healthy. I would never in a million years let him have a gastric band or have his stomach stapled. Children need to be taught how to be healthy and eat the right things. This is the way to do that, not by having dangerous surgery."

Gemma, 13, added: "I used to put on about half a stone to a stone each year. Since I have been coming here I have managed to lose half a stone and maintain it. I think that stomach stapling operations are the wrong way to help children lose weight. There are so many healthier and easier ways. I couldn't think of anything worse."

Under new Government guidelines, overweight teenagers as young as 14 would be able to undergo major operations to help stop obesity.
Stapling creates a smaller stomach area, allowing less food needs to be consumed, while gastric bypass surgery involves a band being inserted into the stomach.

Sophie Pogson, 15 of Pickering Road, West Ayton, said: "I would never dream of putting myself through that. I need to be healthy and that is the not the way to go about it. It is frightening for a child to do something like that and it is something I would never do."

Michelle Willsher, Slimming World team manager, said: "I am disgusted that health experts would consider doing this. Children need to be taught what foods they should eat and need to learn how to be healthy.

"Having a gastric band installed or having your stomach stapled is not only dangerous but doesn't help them become healthy. They simply need to realise what they can and cant eat. I agree that there is a huge problem with obesity in children but surgery is not the way to go.