Doctor who wrote to ‘fat’ girl wore gastric band
A senior health official whose letter to an "overweight" 11-year-old caused her to starve herself was once so obese that he had a gastric band fitted.
Dr Justin Varney, 33, who is responsible for children's health at Barking and Dagenham NHS Trust, wrote to Katie Owen saying she was "overweight" despite only weighing 7st 12lb.
The schoolgirl, who is tall for her age, was told her body mass index of 21.5 put her "at risk of becoming overweight".
It has emerged that the doctor, who once weighed more than 26 stone, wrote a blog called "My Gay Gastric Banding Adventure".
He told how during Christmas 2008 he ate too many mince pies and "hit the chocolate" when he was "dumped" by his boyfriend. He said he wished he had received similar advice on staying trim.
Juliet Beal, of NHS Barking and Dagenham, said: "Dr Varney is a dedicated, trusted, well-respected and liked employee."
