I was shocked when I read the latest reports that girls as young as five are unhappy with their bodies and wish they were slimmer.

The research revealed that nearly half of five to eight-year-olds want to be thinner and the same figure would diet if they gained weight because they think thin means attractive.

Meanwhile a massive 73 per cent of seven-year-old said they were unhappy with their bodies and wanted to lose weight.

The kids in this survey may have been in Australia but I doubt the responses would have been any different for UK children.

If we ever needed proof that as a race we have become obsessed with food then here it is.

We have such an unbalanced view of what we put in our mouths, that while child obesity is rising another group of kids think they have to diet to be popular and attractive.

There are a million reasons why youngsters are developing such a warped relationship with food.

Images of gorgeous skinny women are everywhere and with popular celebrities endorsing crazy eating plans it's easy to see how an immature, innocent mind would link skinny with successful.

Liz Hurley recently told the world she only eats one meal a day and Beyonce has admitted she can survive on cucumber and fruit.

Both women look great and have lives we would all aspire to but as adults most of us can see that eating a balanced diet outweighs the pleasure of getting into size six jeans - a child's judgement may not be so clear.

I am not blaming the media or famous people for all the ills of the world - I am a firm believer in parents ensuring they are the main influence in their children's lives.

Youngsters may be faced with thousands of soundbites from famous people but it is up to parents to make sure their voice is the loudest and most persuasive.

If children are taught from a young age to love and respect food then they are unlikely to abuse it or themselves.

Youngsters need certain foods (think full fat milk) that adults can do without and they shouldn't be denied them simply because their mothers would never touch them.

We have to make sure the next generation does not pick up on many mothers' growing hysteria for diets at an age when they can't make informed choices.

Naked chef Jamie Oliver seems to have won his battle to make school dinners more healthy for our little ones but there's little point if pupils go home to face unlimited fatty food or a plate of limp lettuce.

It is the ultimate responsibility of adults to make sure children get to taste everything possible but rein in those who develop too much of a liking for things that should only be enjoyed in moderation.

Young children should not be allowed to make life-changing decisions - kids who can't cross the road alone shouldn't be given free rein over what they put in their mouths.

Doctors say most children should not even be thinking of dieting and those who do need to lose weight should only do so under medical supervision.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay hit the nail on the head when he said that dieting is a strange mix of self loathing and pride - surely we should not be encouraging either of these unsavoury traits in our kids.