Labeling children “overweight” is a shame and can do more harm than good, a study suggests.
The National Child Measurement Program (NCMP) causes anxiety and embarrassment in children during weighing and often leads to teasing, researchers have found.
Rather than helping kids lose weight, it has the potential to cause eating disorders and unhealthy eating behaviors that are “much more dangerous than weight itself.”
The regulation of the food industry or the expansion of free school meals would be more beneficial to tackle the cause, experts suggest.
The NCMP measures children’s height and weight upon entering primary school at age four or five and again in sixth grade before entering high school at age 11.
Nutritionist Aaron Nee slammed the NHS’s ‘idiotic’ BMI tests after his slim five-year-old son Jacob (left) was deemed overweight, while Lauren Ormesher was furious after receiving a letter threatening her four-year-old daughter Maggie (right) . ) stood ) was “overweight”
Your body mass index (BMI) is calculated from the results provided to parents to indicate whether their child is classified as “underweight”, “healthy”, “overweight” or “severely overweight”.
It provides important data on the national level of childhood obesity, with one in ten obese by the time they enter primary school and rising to nearly one in four by the time they enter high school.
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In the first study of its kind, researchers from Queen Mary University of London looked at the effects of the program on overweight children.
They analyzed feedback from parents who received advice and support on how to achieve a healthy weight for their child after their child was identified as overweight or severely overweight.
Analysis showed that these families expressed great concern about the potential adverse effects on their child’s mental health, with many saying it was a turning point in children’s awareness of body weight – changing their relationship with food.
According to the findings, published in the Journal of Critical Public Health, children reported anxiety and embarrassment about the weighing process, the outcome and the potential for weight-related teasing.
Parents have expressed concern that the potential for future mental health disorders, eating disorders and unhealthy dietary behavior is “much more dangerous than weight itself”.
They often cited the child’s happiness as their priority, with many admitting to ignoring the results.
The researchers found that encouragement to lose weight, teasing and weight-related criticism affected children’s self-perceptions and led to an increase in dieting and dysfunctional eating behaviors.
DR Meredith Hawking, from Queen Mary University of London, said: “Many parents are rightly concerned about the impact the National Child Measurement Program may have on children’s self-esteem and eating habits as they get older.
“Further research is needed to understand whether these concerns persist over the long term and to identify ways to mitigate them over the course of the program.”
Jemma Fletcher slammed health bosses after receiving a letter last year calling her five-year-old daughter Lily (left) overweight, and in 2018 Ariel Marsden was “shocked” when her four-year-old daughter Belle (left) was also deemed overweight.
She suggested that ministers should act on the data from the NCMP and develop new ways to tackle childhood obesity, which is particularly prevalent in poorer communities.
She added: “Without proper regulation of the food industry or action to reduce poverty, parents will not be supported in their efforts to help children lead healthier lives.”
But Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, said it was important that children’s weights were measured to indicate potential health problems in the future.
He said the program was not intended as a weight management program for children to get expert medical help, but as a statistical exercise to provide information about a growing problem.
He said: “The current national measurement program for children does not go far enough. We should measure children every year at school for medical reasons, which was recommended by the Commons Health Select Committee in 2004.
“Now, 18 years later, thousands of children and their parents are still suffering and there is no sign that childhood obesity is improving. It’s a national shame.”
It comes after a nutritionist last year branded the NHS’ BMI checks “idiotic” after his slim five-year-old son was found to be overweight.
Aaron Nee, from East Sussex, said his son Jacob, who has “barely an ounce of fat on him”, came home with a letter urging his parents to “make healthy changes”.
Other parents shared similar concerns.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
