To withdraw DD from being weighed at school?

[SeaDevilscanPlay]

DH thinks I am making a big fuss about nothing.

I refused consent for DD to be weighed at school as I don't think its neccesary. I didn't make a fuss, just ticked the box saying that I did not give consent.

*Quite a few mums in dd's class got 'the letter' after the reception weight/height check explaining their children were overweight and offering support.

Every single one of them complained and disputed that their child was overweight, that it was just puppy fat etc.

Fast forward a few years until they are now in y4. Sadly each and every one of those highlighted kids is now clearly overweight.

I do agree that parents can have a blindness to their child's real size.*

Conversely though, maybe that proves that the weight check was pointless as the children are all still overweight?

My friend had the routine eye test at school, I think she said she was about 6 ( was many years ago) and they discovered she was blind in one eye. Her Mum had absolutely no idea!

MissDuke Conversely though, maybe that proves that the weight check was pointless as the children are all still overweight?

Did you miss the bit where the parents ignored the fact that their child was overweight? Therefore not addressing this, meaning that their child remains overweight!

MissDuke These children will be weighed again in Y6, right? I wonder what the parents will say/do then, that is of course if they allow their child to be weighed.

Where is this school though? I find it hard to believe non of the parents would even entertain the idea that their child could be overweight.

YANBU I always opt out. This is because DD1 came home with the letter and hopped straight on the scales and the whole class staretd discussing their weights and worrying over it. Not healthy.

Oh, and how would you know this, are you a school nurse?

That sounds unusual Kendod, such small portions. My 8 and 10 yr old eat as much as me.

Checked on nhs, and sounds about right, a 10yr old boy needs 2000 cals a day, same as the average woman!

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/how-many-calories-do-children-need.aspx?CategoryID=51

Maybe we have fast metabolisms, as we are slim ( but would all happily eat 3 sausages, mash and veg for tea).

We don't really snack though.

Despite not being overweight, I still do not like to have my children weighed by the government. What will they do with all this data? Same with clubcards etc.

I like my privacy.

I think the difference between my dd and a couple of larger friends is that my dd is not the slightest bit interested in food and her friends are.

Mine probably has a more unhealthy diet (in a desperate bid to get calories in sometimes). Her friends' parents are actually really good at providing healthy meals. Their dc do lots of exercise.

They just like food, eat everything and are a bit hungrier. As such the healthy eating advice isn't really something her friends' parents aren't aware of. It's just difficult when you have a dc who will clear their plate and still be hungry.

I expect it feels a bit condescending to be told your dc is overweight in these circumstances and be given healthy eating advice. I know of one who's opted out.

You have misunderstood what the programme is. It is a screening programme. The aim is to generate information on the prevalence of childhood obesity which helps policy makers and commissioners plan future public health interventions

It isn't worthwhile if people refuse to take part; probably the people who are in denial that their child is overweight.

Satin
but by not participating in the blanket data collection (think of it as a height weight census rather than a health programme)
'they are distorting the average downwards and making their chunky kids even more outlier than they were.

OP
If, when your kids bend over, you cannot see the outline of their ribs they are overweight.
If when hour kids stand up tall and reach their arms up, their tummy does not tuck in under their ribs they are over weight
If your kids have skin creases anywhere, they are over weight

BUT
around 1/30 kids (and adults) have medical reasons for being overweight - thyroid / adrenal / prader-willi
the other 29/30 need to eat less
do not assume that any child is one of the 1/30 without a consultant's letter

"Conversely though, maybe that proves that the weight check was pointless as the children are all still overweight?"

No, it doesn't show it as pointless at all. For the purpose is, as it as been for several generations, to look at the population as a whole and inform health planning. Now, we can't guarantee the planners will get it right. But without evidence, there's a much higher risk they'll be wrong.

And yes, I'd line up at work for a weight check which gives epidemiologists information on which they can make the soundest possible projections. It's something simple to do for the benefit of all.

Apparently for healthy BMI you need to be on a lower weight percentile than height percentile. Is that because of the tendency for being overweight skewing the centiles?

E.g. My DD is 75% for height, 50% for weight and 50% for BMI. Does that make sense to anyone who knows a bit more about this?

It could explain why people think 75% for height and weight is ok, when it might actually be like being the slightly podgy kid from our childhoods.

The screening is a complete waste of time if those who are overweight are not part of the survey.

SeeJane - DS is on the 9th Centile for height and weight and his BMI is perfectly within the normal range.

Feeding a 10 and 8 year old adult portions seems a lot to me. I followed your link, it says a 8 year old needs about 1700 calories. It does say this is just a guide though, maybe your kids just need more than mine? Also, mine are a bit younger, 5, 6 and 8. They never finish everything in their lunch boxes and rarely finish their tea (might be my cooking though )

As I said though I do sometimes worry I'm not giving them enough when I see how much other children are fed.

kendodd - my 6 and 4 year olds would easily eat 3 sausages - they do eat a decent portion, and have a healthy snack mid morning and mid afternoon - but as your kids aren't finishing what you give them, I'd say you're giving them enough - if they finished it and asked for more, I'd think again. Childrens appetites vary so much.

I do sometimes worry I'm not giving them enough when I see how much other children are fed.

I don't worry but I do wonder how children the same size as mine can eat so much more! My DD2's lunchbox looks really meagre compared to the feast that arrives with her peers. I don't get to see it very often these days but I used to be amazed at how much food I saw consumed when helping out at school.

I have apparently left a couple of other people's children needing to be fed again after having tea with my DD because I gave them the same portion she has. I've learned now to offer more and not assume. Maybe these children are or will be overweight. I don't recall noticing but they were dressed so perhaps I wouldn't have.

I refused permission for both of mine to be weighed in school. They are 11 and 16 now and I haven't weighed them since they were born.

My mom had a funny attitude about weight with my sis and I growing up. I got lots of praise for being the skinny one but my sister was put on slimfast type stuff at twelve to slim her down. Far too much attention on weight so I was detirmined not to be the same.

I ensure a helathy diet and a bit of exercise for my non sporty offspring and I am sure they're fine. They are in the appropriate sizes and are comparable to their friends as being well within average range.

Thats my decision as a parent and none of the schools business.

Careful Ink. You'll be told that you've done more harm than good by singling your child out and making a fuss and that you're only refusing because your DCs are overweight but it's hidden under their clothing.

I can't believe that a 16 yr old has never weighed herself or been weighed.
If I was a child I would certainly stand on scales in people's bathrooms just for curiosity as much as anything.
There are lots of times that I have had to know my weight or be weighed if I can't give it. If you go skiing you need it for the ski bindings setting, you need it in surfing for the wet suit, I needed it to sky dive, certainly when I was pregnant I was constantly weighed, and I have been on medical check ups. If I really thought about it there must be dozens of occasions when it is necessary.
I really can't see why a parent wants to make it a huge deal and not just treat it as a perfectly mundane occurrence.

Yy satin.

Dd had the height/weight check in reception. We were told she is obese. She isn't. Three months later we had the school nurse check. She said she didn't need to check her eyes as she is under the hospital, checked her hearing and weighed and measured her. I told her she had come out as having a bmi suggesting obesity and she laughed. Dd was 5yrs old and 5 stone.
She explained dd was on the 99.8th centile was absolutely fine weight for height wise and that the reception results were skewed as they didn't take into account the extremes of height at that age.
Dd is by no means a skinny Minny but on the other handhand isn't what I'd call overweight.
I felt like awful parent for three months

I don't have a scales in my house on purpose. So maybe my dd or ds have weighed themselves at some opportunity but I haven't weighed them. Which is actually the way I phrased it .

It's because I don't want it to be an issue that I have done this. I haven't made it a big thing simply by never referring to it.

They are not overweight. My dd is 5'6" and a size 8 to 10. My son fits his age group sizes with room to spare.

I work in childcare. I see kids and babies with excess weight. Mine don't have it.