Brits take tough action on childhood obesity

Aug 5 2008

The British Government is taking tough action on childhood obesity. Under a government initiative to tackle the issue parents will be sent official letters from a child's school informing them of the status of their children's weight.

Where a child is classed as being overweight strategies and exercise programmes will be suggested but the onus is on parents to initiate help if they want to address the weight concerns of their children.

The National Child Measurement Programme for England aims to weigh and measure children at two points in their school life, in primary school at age 4-5 and year 6 at age 10-11.

Last year 80% of children in those age groups took part, but health campaigners say the programme is too soft because parents can opt out of having their child included and they are more likely to do so if their child is fat.

The term very overweight has been chosen rather than obese because experts suggest most parents tend to switch off and pretend not to notice if the term obese is used and exercise is used instead of physical activity.

The results of the measurement programme will be restricted and not even the children, school staff and other medical professionals will be able to access the records.

The soft approach of the program has been criticized by the Child Growth Foundation, who say it is a mistake not to use the world obese and to rely on a sliding scale rather than providing parents the details of the body mass index of their children.

It is hoped the results will raise parent's awareness of their children's weight and the need to live a healthy lifestyle.

At present it is estimated that two thirds of adults and a third of children are either overweight or obese in the UK and that figure is expected to rise to almost nine in 10 adults and two-thirds of children by 2050, which could cost the economy £50bn due to obesity-related ill-health.