British primary children face weigh-ins to combat obesity

LONDON - British primary schoolchildren are to be routinely weighed and their parents told if they are obese in a controversial initiative to tackle the worsening health crisis.

Ministers have decided to overrule the Children's Commissioner and their own child health officials, who fear that telling parents the test results will stigmatise some children.

Primary schools are preparing to weigh and measure the height of 4- and 10-year-olds during this northern summer term to help prepare a national "map" of childhood obesity.

Individual statistics will be given only to parents who ask for them and no extra help will be offered to children who are found to be overweight or obese.

From next year, however, parents of any obese 4- or 10-year-olds can expect a letter telling them their child faces long-term health damage unless they lose weight. The about-turn came after MPs dismissed as "drivel" claims that telling parents the results could lead to children being bullied.

Green Party MP Sue Kedgley, who is chairing an inquiry by New Zealand MPs into obesity, said it was better to focus on issues that caused the problem, such as advertising of junk food.

Weighing children "is quite a controversial move and it's interesting to see they overruled the Children's Commissioner. There is a danger singling out individuals could lead to stigmatisating them".

Britain's Health Minister, Caroline Flint, believes parents are the "first and foremost influence" on their children.

Obesity campaigners say the danger to obese children's future health is so great it outweighs any fears of bullying.

- INDEPENDENT