Schools resort to 'fat reports' for pupils who tip the scales

Schools will weigh children at the age of four to five and again at ten to 11 and send details of their height and weight to their parents, with advice about whether the child's weight is unhealthy. 

So many children are now overweight or obese that health experts fear parents cannot recognise whether their youngsters fall within a normal weight range.

Sizable problem: Overweight boy sits out a gym class

Latest figures show that 10 per cent of children aged four and five are obese and another 13 per cent are classified as overweight.

The figures are higher among ten and 11-year-olds, where 17.5 per cent are classed as obese and a further 14.2 per cent overweight. Ministers are so concerned about the rise in childhood obesity that parents will now be automatically informed about their children's weight, unless they specify that they do not want to know.

Previously, if parents wanted the information from the National Child Measurement Programme they had to ask for it, allowing many to ignore the problem.

Others have kept their children out of school on measurement days, meaning the alarming figures could still underestimate the full extent of obesity levels.

Data from the National Child Measurement Programme will be collated anonymously to provide the most accurate snapshot of childhood obesity rates.

Parents whose children are deemed to be unhealthy will be sent information about healthy eating and exercise, and details of support services. Families may still refuse to allow their children to be weighed, but schools and primary care trusts will be told to encourage full participation.

Critics said the changes to the scheme, due to be introduced when the new academic year begins in September, were part of the Government's 'nanny-state' approach.

Conservative front-bencher Nigel Waterson said: 'These are issues for families to sort out, not the Government.'

But the National Obesity Forum said the changes did not go far enough, and called for children to be weighed and measured annually.

The Department of Health said: 'The Government strongly believes that giving the results to parents is a vital way of engaging both children and families about healthy lifestyles and weight issues.'