Are primary school weigh-ins really all that bad?
I ask after it was revealed the powers that be have decided to bring back weigh-ins for primary school children from September amid fears lockdown has exacerbated the UK’s child obesity crisis.
Apparently the move to reintroduce weight checks, or the National Child Measurement Programme as it’s officially known, is designed to help alert parents if their child is in danger of developing or already has a weight problem.
I’ve seen lots of criticism on social media since the announcement was made, and my question is this: is it really all that bad?
Are primary school weigh-ins really all that bad?
From September I’ll have a child in year six, one in year two and one in reception and I can’t say the idea of school weigh-ins especially bothers me.
I have absolutely no idea what each of my kids weigh, but I do know they’re not over or under weight and while I *might* be guilty of serving up alphabites and beige a bit more often than I’d like I don’t think we’ve got anything to worry about.
What does bother me is if the kids’ cotton on to the fact they’re being regularly weighed and monitored, especially the girls, but one would hope it is done in such a way that a big deal isn’t made of it for all the wrong reasons.
Yet some parents have accused the government of ‘fat shaming’ and using outdated ways of measuring weight, but if you feel that strongly about it you can always opt out.
The fact remains that if the figures are to be believed one in three kids in the UK leave primary school overweight or obese. And without some sort of monitoring or recording system the problem can’t be properly addressed or reversed.
Of course, if the powers that be were to practise what they preach and volunteer for a National Government Measurement Programme they might get a bit more support from the naysayers (I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the House of Commons on weigh-in day!) but I’m afraid the return of school weigh-ins is yet another case of the Government saying do as I say not as I do.
What do you think? Do you have a child at primary school and how do you feel about the prospect of school weigh-ins? I’d love to hear your point of view!
This has taken me back to many years ago when we were refused a place in the primary school of choice for our youngest son, stressful at the time but it worked out in the end#mischiefandmemories@_karendennisT
Really glad to hear that!
Interesting debate and not sure it really depends on the situation. Though not sure about the message that weigh in is important because also the relationship between food is key as well x #mischiefandmemories
You’d hope that it’ll all be delivered in the right way with positive associations & education between weight & food etc…
Yes! Thank you so much for this post!
Some of the headlines are scaremongering. I work for childrenβs services that cover health visiting as well as school nursing. This was always a thing but got stopped due to covid, youβre allowed to opt out. Parents receive a consent form and nothing is done without their permission. I do understand the βissuesβ around it however for some children its really needed. Ever since our school nurses stopped going to schools weβve had a numerous amount of complaints from parents (Iβve literally had many shout at me for not caring enough even though that has nothing to do with me) we then have ended up opening up weigh in clinics just like you have for babies but for school children and the uptake has been incredible. This isnβt a new measure at all, perhaps more than how it use be but like you said if you donβt agree just opt out.
My daughter will start reception and to be honest Iβm relieved that theyβre bringing it back as I would like to know if sheβs a healthy weight or not.
I agree schools should also teach about having a good relationship with food too but as parents if we think the school isnβt doing that enough then we can do that home, we canβt rely on teachers for everything.
#fortheloveofblog
That’s so interesting to hear from you from a professional point of view – there are lots of issues surrounding it but like I say in my post if you feel that strongly you can simply opt out. Thanks for commenting!
As someone who has had an overweight child Iβve read quite a lot about this and apparently parents actually find it really difficult to recognise when their children are overweight so that would suggest weighing them is necessary. On the other hand, when I asked for help because I did recognise my child weighed more than he should, none was available so really, there seems little point. #fortheloveofblog
I agree that’s no good at all if there’s no follow up/solution after the weigh ins, it sounds like more joined up thinking is required…
I don’t think we do this – what’s the point of it? Do they implement a diet and exercise programme? Do they contact the parent if they child is over weight to discuss nutrition? If they just weigh them and do nothing, then it is fat shaming. My high school did it – a squillion years ago, and it really encouraged eating disorders (or fixation on losing weight) but it was a girls school so that may have been rampant anyway. Surely the GP should be discussing it if they attend a doctors appointment? #FortheloveofBLOG
I really don’t know what they do with the results & how they follow it up – good question! I guess I’m about to find out!
Just returning from #fortheloveofblog
Thank you!
I have mixed feelings about this. I had a weigh in regularly as a child. I do think in many cases it would be useful and to be honest it never made me conscious as a child. I do think something has to be done about the obesity epidemic in children….it is definitely a mighty problem which I think many parents seem oblivious too. I do worry though what messages it might send children. I have always tried to keep my daughter away from the weighing scales as I think there is enough pressure on them as it is. #ForTheLoveofBlog
I don’t remember being weighed in school at all – I didn’t realise it isn’t a new thing! I keep mine away from the scales too & have no idea what they weigh…
I can see both sides of the argument on this one so I’m not sure where I sit. People being overweight is an issue, but so is worrying about your image. It needs to be a healthy balance. #fortheloveofblog
Yes exactly!
I’m actually against this for so many reasons. We have such an unhealthy fixation on weight in this country. As an over weight person I feel stigmatised constantly. Overweight equals unhealthy eating and lazy. But that’s so untrue. There are so many reasons for being overweight. I workout at least 4 times a week, I eat healthily, I don’t drink alcohol or caffeine, but I am plus size. I have friends who are a size 12 who have a much unhealthier lifestyle than me, but it’s me that is stigmatised.
There is far to much pressure to look a certain way and too much self worth and vale placed on what the scales say. Diet culture is a billion pound industry that is proven over and over again to not work and do more harm than good. We are measured against BMI which is outdated and was never built for the purpose it is used today. The government change where they consider the healthy weight to be on the BMI scale and suddenly 40 million people wake up one day and are now classed as obese and sign up to WW or SW. All of whom pay money to the government.
And to make matters worse overweight people are scared to go to gyms because they get laughed at. Struggle to buy gym wear because not many companies cater to their size. And worst of all we are terrified to go to the doctors because everything is attributed to weight. The reason more obese people die from cancer is because doctors don’t catch it. They send people away to lose weight and don’t look into what the problem is. Someone very close to me is about to lose her Dad to terminal cancer. He had been back and fourth to the doctors and they just kept telling him to lose weight. In the end he felt so ill he took himself to A&E where they discovered the cancer too late.
And all this is without even mentioning body image and the drastic impact that can have on people’s lives. We live in a fat-phobic world that isn’t inclusive. We should be taking a health at every size approach and looking after mental health too. I could rant for ages about this. But change needs to happen and it starts with our kids.
That’s a really long way of saying I am adamantly against it.
Sorry for the rant!!!
Thanks so much for sharing your point of view – you could (& should!) write a whole blog post on it! There are so many issues & questions surrounding it…
I’ve not been particularly bothered about them personally but I can completely understand why a lot of people are. We opted out of them for Jessica as she had regular weigh-ins at clinic anyway (and I knew she would be underweight on their charts). Sophie was flagged up as being overweight but I knew she had a good diet and was active so I wasn’t actually concerned (I suspect she’d be in the normal range now anyway). For me, weight is only one factor amongst many which affect health and I often think there is too much focus on obesity and diet and too little focus on improving mental health, and exploring some of the underlying reasons behind obesity (financial difficulties, stress, lack of spaces to safely exercise etc.) plus as Claire has said above too many health problems are written off due to obesity and not investigated properly. #MischiefandMemories
Same – I can totally understand why people get so cross about it. Weight is just one factor.
This isn’t done in Ireland. I personally wouldn’t be for this. It could potentially make some kids feel really uncomfortable and highlighting weight isn’t usually the best way to deal with it in a positive way. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and info. #fortheloveofblog
That’s interesting it’s not the done thing where you are…
I’m with Claire on this. Instead of spending valuable resources on weigh ins, it’s surely better to invest that into school lunches to give children a healthier diet and increase activity such as p.e. / walking / things where the littles aren’t just sat at their desks all day. Thank you for joining us for #mischiefandmemories with this thought-provoking post. xx
We’re really lucky where we are with fab school lunches & a really varied school day of exercise & learning – I think it makes such a difference…
I have no problem with the kids getting weighed as long as there is proper support for those identified as having concerns. However the funding cuts for eduation and schools meals undermines the supposed good intentions. Thanks for linking up with #MischiefAndMemories
Yes the support network definitely needs to be there too…
Mixed feelings about this here. I see the reason for doing this as childhood obesity IS a health issue owing to the fast-food industry and the more sedentary lifestyle. However, I also see how overweight people are stigmatised and sometimes made fun of (and as Claire pointed out, overweight doesn’t always have to mean unhealthy eating and laziness). So I guess there should be a more balanced way of doing these, and more importantly, help for those children identified as overweight. #fortheloveofblog
Yes this issue is a real can of worms with so many points – we could talk about it all day!