Mother faces backlash after revealing she weighs six-year-old daughter every day

‘This is a dangerous approach to parenting a child’

A mother has faced an enormous backlash online after revealing that she weighs her six-year-old daughter every day.

Yesterday, Nadia Udin appeared on ITV’s This Morning to discuss the way in which she monitors her children’s weight.

While it’s sensible for parents to teach their children about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, many feel that Udin’s apparent obsession with the scales has taken things a step too far.

Nadia Udin spoke to presenters Emma Willis, Rylan Clark-Neal and psychologist and eating disorder specialist Deanne Jade about why she weighs her six-year-old daughter every day (YouTube/This Morning)

Udin confessed to presenters Emma Willis and Rylan Clark-Neal that she’s afraid her daughter will suffer from “name-calling” if she gains weight, which is why she decided to take matters into her own hands.

“Why not take control and do something about it and be in control of her?” she said.

The mother believes that if her daughter gains weight this would then indicate that she’s doing something wrong as a parent, despite the fact that her daughter is a young, growing child.

Udin also weighed her eldest daughter growing up, in addition to her youngest who’s still a baby.

Willis was of the same opinion as Deanne Jade, a psychologist and eating disorder specialist, that children shouldn’t be encouraged to focus on their weight and appearance.

Jade also explained how children typically gain weight before experiencing a growth spurt, which is why they shouldn’t be lambasted for putting on a few pounds when it’s simply a naturally part of their early development.

This concentration on weight could also lead to a child experiencing an unhealthy relationship with food later on in life.

"Our young girls are facing so much pressure when it comes to their body image and sense of self. The problem with monitoring weight - especially so consistently - is that it validates that there is a right or wrong way to look," Emmy Brunner, CEO of The Recover Clinic, explained to The Independent.

"In adulthood, these beliefs become patterns of thinking and behaving, meaning we're more likyl to develop disordered behaviours around food or have a damaged relationship with our bodies.

"Placing emphasis on numbers, be it weight, calories or otherwise, is promoting a misguided way to value who you are as a person.

"Instead, we should be teaching young children how to take care of themselves; providing guidance on what it means to love yourself for who you are, absent of social expectations."

Many This Morning viewers also expressed their disapproval over the harmful effects of Udin's parenting technique on social media.

“This is a dangerous approach to parenting a child,” one person wrote on Twitter. “Being this controlling in terms of weight and food can bring on an eating disorder.”

“Shocking,” another person commented. “I have anorexia and I can easily see this kind of behaviour leading to an eating disorder!”

Some people have empathised with Udin’s mindset, but don’t agree with her methodology.

“Projecting her own insecurities onto her child and doing untold damage to her body image, self-esteem and mental health,” someone remarked.

“I’m sure she has the best intentions but what a terrible way to go about it.”

Another person said that she believes Udin means well, but described her approach as “helicopter parenting."