Initiative to tackle childhood obesity is fuelling eating disorders

By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

A UK Government initiative to tackle childhood obesity is fuelling eating disorders, according to new research.

England's National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) shames kids - and triggers bullying, suggests the report.

It tracks the height and weight of kids in state primary schools. A study found it runs the risk of damaging those it aims to help.

Taking part was an "emotionally significant moment" for many youngsters told they were above a healthy weight.

Those children reported feeling anxiety and embarrassment about the weighing process, the result - and the potential for teasing from peers.

Some parents dismissed the result. Many expressed concern the potential for mental health problems, eating disorders and unhealthy dieting behaviors in the future was "far more dangerous than the weight itself."

Their priority was the child's happiness. An analysis of the impact of weight-related conversations on children found these worries are not unfounded.

Being encouraged to lose weight, teasing and weight-related criticism were associated with poorer self-perceptions, increased dieting and dysfunctional eating behaviors.

Lead author Dr. Meredith Hawking, of Queen Mary University of London, said: "Many parents have legitimate concerns about the impact the National Child Measurement Programme might have on children's self-perception and food practices as they grow older.

"More research is needed to understand whether these concerns are borne out in the long term and to find ways to mitigate them if the program is to continue."

The scheme sees children in Reception (aged four to five) and Year Six (aged 10 to 11) weighed and measured at school.

The figure is reached by comparing a child's weight with their age, height and sex.

Once the BMI is calculated, the child will be placed in one of four categories - underweight, healthy weight, overweight or very overweight.

The data can is used to support national public health initiatives, and locally to inform the planning and delivery of services for children.

The measurement process is overseen by trained healthcare professionals in schools.

About one in five children in Reception are classed as overweight or obese, rising to one in three in year six.

Parents are informed what category their child falls into, which the NHS says allows them to plan and provide better health services for children.

Dr. Hawking and colleagues focused on the experiences of parents and their children who were categorized as 'overweight' and 'very overweight.'

The first analysis of its kind was based on collating and examining published research on the program.

It found families expressed significant concerns about the potential for harmful effects on their child's mental health.

For many, the program marked a turning point in the child's awareness of body weight - altering their relationship with food and changing how they related to peers.

Further research is needed to understand whether parents' concerns are being borne out in the long term and to find ways to mitigate any negative effects, said Dr. Hawking.

In some areas, efforts have been made to change the wording of the results letters issued to families, avoiding using stigmatizing words like 'overweight' and 'obese.' But these measures are locally driven and vary across the country.

Policymakers need to thoroughly consider the questions their findings raise, said Dr. Hawking.

The NCMP generates valuable insights but requires actions beyond those which can be taken by families alone to halt and reverse the rising proportion of children who are an unhealthy weight.

Rising rates of childhood obesity are strongly linked to poverty - with little evidence such initiatives are successful at a population level.

Policy approaches like the 'fizzy drinks tax' and extending eligibility for free school meals as recommended in the National Food Strategy independent review may be much more ethical and effective.

Dr. Hawking said: "To improve child health, the Government must act on the evidence the NCMP and other sources are producing.

"We know childhood obesity is a strong indicator of child poverty. Without meaningful regulation of the food industry or measures to address poverty, parents will be unsupported in their efforts to help children live healthier lives."

The study was published in the journal Critical Public Health.