Hasmonean High School drops sponsored weight loss contest after objections

“This is an opportunity to get in shape for winter and raise some serious money for Hasmonean at the same time,” Mr McClusky said.

But a day later he informed parents that the school had had a change of heart and the school is now no longer promoting the initiative.

A number of staff and parents had raised concern that the initiative was “ill-considered given the rise in eating disorders among teenagers”, he explained.

The idea of entering the contest, had come from “parents within the community who wanted an incentive to lose weight themselves and to raise tzedokah in the process, and who wished to give other adults the opportunity to do the same."

Although the challenge was  open only to adults over 18 rather than children, he said: "I understand the sensitivity around promoting weight loss, and appreciate that we need to be more careful in regard to sending messages that may have unintended harmful effects."

uShakedown was launched two years ago by members of an Edgware Synagogue, Kehillas Netzach Yisroel, who wanted to promote a healthy lifestyle while raising money for charity.