Fury over calorie-counting question in GCSE maths exam over claims it was a 'trigger' for those with eating disorders

A calorie-counting question in a GCSE maths exam prompted a backlash with claims it was a 'trigger' for students with eating disorders.

The question asked those sitting to calculate the calorific value of a breakfast of banana and yoghurt.

Some complained that such a question was concerning given the age of participants and the potential of them having eating disorders.

Pearson, the body behind the Edexcel exam, has said the question was “valid” but urged students who felt the questioned had "impacted" their performance to get in touch.

The question read: “There are 84 calories in 100g of banana. There are 87 calories in 100g of yogurt. Priti has 60g of banana and 150g of yogurt for breakfast. Work out the total number of calories in this breakfast.”

One 16-year-old, who had previously struggled with anorexia, told The Telegraph they went into a “panic” and they had to take a five-minute break outside to calm down mid-exam.

While another person claimed their sister walked out of the exam due to the issue.

“My sister had a maths exam today where a girl called ‘pretty’ was counting her calories after eating a banana and the kids had to work out how much she had eaten…,” they wrote on social media.

“My sister is a recovering anorexic who had to leave the exam due to this.”

One 16-year-old student from Hampshire added: “The weighing food and calorie question on the paper today triggered me so much. Hopefully it didn’t upset anyone else who suffers.

"It just bought back so many bad memories for me that I was about to cry. Do they know about the crisis or I’m being over sensitive?”

Writing on twitter, one teacher said they would be “worried” by such a question coming up.

They said: “As someone who has taught students with anorexia, I'd be really worried about some of them having to unexpectedly deal with calorie counting in their GCSE maths exam. The majority of complaints about exam questions are usually just noise. This one, I understand.”

Another person asked Pearson “what on earth” it was thinking with the query.

The issue has since been discussed on Good Morning Britain, with presenter Piers Morgan branding complaints about it as "nonsense".

"This country is going completely bonkers," he said. "It's nonsense.

"We don't rewrite the entire maths paper, which has a perfectly reasonable question, because somebody may have a trigger moment."

Caroline Nokes, Conservative MP and immigration minister, responded to this by stating there needed to be "compassion" in regards to the point raised.

She tweeted: ​"Taking exams whilst suffering an eating disorder is tough enough without having @piersmorgan suggest you shouldn’t be taking exams if question on calorie counting triggers issues - total lack of compassion and understanding of serious mental health condition."

In a statement posted on Twitter, Pearson said pupils could complain through their schools.

This said: “In a maths exam taken last week, candidates were asked to solve a practical problem calculating the number of calories in a banana and a yoghurt.

"We have reviewed the question and find it to be valid. We encourage any student who thinks that this question may have impacted their performance to get in contact with us via their school.”