THE NHS has been slammed for saying fat people are “living with overweight” to avoid insulting them.
The nonsense phrase is used online after soft-touch researchers said calling someone large is offensive.
NHS weight advice says: “Living with overweight and obesity can affect your quality of life.”
And a report on their slimming programme adds: “The adult population living with overweight in England is 25.6 million, of which 11.4 million adults are living with obesity.”
Experts call it “person-first language” and claim it reduces discrimination.
But Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, said: “The NHS use the phrase ‘living with overweight’ as a politically correct way of appeasing patients.
“It is a mistaken attempt to ease their fear of being labelled fat. The expression completely fudges the difference between BMI 26 and any size above.
“Obesity is a medical term that pinpoints BMI 30 as being potentially life-threatening.”
Doctors recognise obesity as a disease as it is linked to genetics and raises the risk of cancer, stroke and dementia.
But being overweight is generally carrying a few extra pounds.
Christopher Snowdon, of the Institute for Economic Affairs, added: “These clumsy terms are portrayed as being more sensitive and politically correct.
“Their real purpose is to portray overweight and obese people as passive victims of something they can’t do anything about. It is not helpful.”
An NHS spokesman said: “This term is widely used nationally and internationally.”