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Written warning for parents of fat children
Anna Davis4 Aug 2008
Millions of parents will be told their child is too fat in warning letters to be sent out within weeks, the Government announced today.
Under measures to beat obesity, health trusts will write to every family with details of their child's body mass index.
Parents will be told if their son or daughter is underweight, healthy, overweight or very overweight for their age - although the word "obese" will not be used in the letters.
School nurses weigh and measure the height of children in reception class (aged four to five) and again in year six (aged 10 to 11).
The National Child Measurement Programme uses the results to calculate the child's BMI.
Previously, parents had to request the information.
Forty per cent of health trusts nationwide have agreed to the plan - including Southwark - and letters will start going out next month. New guidance for primary care trusts on the letters was announced by Will Cavendish, director of health and wellbeing at the Department of Health.
He said: "More children are overweight compared to previous generations and it can be harder for parents to identify if their child is obese.
"Most parents of overweight children think their child is a healthy weight. Research shows only 10 per cent of parents of obese children describe them as obese. And we want to make sure we keep parents informed about their child's health and wellbeing. This will give them the information to make appropriate lifestyle changes." Mr Cavendish said the term "obese" was not used in the draft letter which the Government wants parents to receive.
He said: "The use of the word obese in this letter would shut people down. Parents associate it with 'half-ton kids' and '10-ton mums'.
"We propose to use the terms healthy, overweight, very overweight and underweight. This is not an academic exercise; it is about getting parents to change their behaviour."
However, parents can still opt out of the child measurement programme, which was set up four years ago.
In 2006-07, 80 per cent of school children were weighed and measured. In total, 22.9 per cent of children in reception were overweight or obese. In year six, 31.6 per cent were classed as overweight or obese.
Health minister Ivan Lewis said: "It's clear from research we've done that parents want to know their child's results and whether there is a concern about their health.
"But they want clear information which is non-stigmatising and helpful. This important move isn't about pointing the finger and telling parents that their children are overweight, instead it's about equipping parents with the information they need to help their children live healthier lives."
