to think they'd think of this?

[DontOpenDeadInside]

Dd3 (5) was weighed at school the other day. I got a letter yesterday saying that at 108cm and 21kg she is "overweight". Now they probably weighed her in her boots and school jumper, but I weighed her this morning and she is 20.3kg which puts her into the healthy range. Now not only could this cause upset to parents (not me, I was sure she was healthy) but national statistics will have one more overweight child, when she is not, I am sure there will be others, as such a small amount of weight can make a big difference at that age.

[DontOpenDeadInside]

By "to think they'd think of this", I mean taking shoes/jumpers off.

[MrsLeighHalfpenny]

Scales can vary and weight varies at different times of the day. There's not much difference between 20.3kg and 21kg, so even if you have very precise scales, if 21kg puts her into the obese category then she's not far off, which would be enough for me to take action. 0.7 kg could almost just be the difference of eating a large meal or having a very big poo!

[MirandaGoshawk]

But wouldn't they just weigh all the dch the same, i.e. not take off any shoes etc? So they'd all weigh slightly more than they should but the same in relation to each other, IYSWIM. Saves a lot of fannying around.

I went for a check-up recently. I am 5'6" and weigh around 9.5 stone. The nurse said, "I don't agree with this but according to my chart you should be 10 stone 11"!!

So in other words, the guides are complete bolleaux. Yes, it probably could confuse some people but if I were you I'd let it go.

[amothersplaceisinthewrong]

If 21kg is overweight, 20.3kg is not far off. Are you sure she is not overly chubby but you don't see it because she is your beautiful little girl....

[DontOpenDeadInside]

MrsLeigh according to nhs if dd is 21kg she is overweight, if she is 20.5 she is about 2/3rds into healthy. So 1lb can make all the difference.

[Niloufes]

@MrsLeighhalfpenny - a 700 gram poo!! jesus what have you been eating??

[DontOpenDeadInside]

Sorry, its a bit more than 2/3rds, but still healthy.

[MrsLeighHalfpenny]

I said "almost"!! Just saying that weight varies during the day for lots of reasons and I'm not very good with kg cos I'm getting on a bit!

[DinosaursRoar]

Oh I thought I was the only one that if they weighed themself first thing in the morning, then needed a poo, got back on the scales to see how much the poo weighed... (classy me)

You'd think they'd think to take shoes and jumpers off, but BMI is a blunt tool, it is an indication that their might be a problem or not, it's not proof by itself. She's either at the upper end of healthy for her height or just over the the top of unhealthy for her height, but either way, she might be or might not be a healthy weight - some people come out over the top end and are still perfectly fine, just muscley, or some come out as just in the top end of healthy, but are slight build so actually are too big for their frame.

[EssexGurl]

I put on 6lb overnight according to our scales! I then lost 3 lb the next day.

Scales are the work of the devil .....

[DontOpenDeadInside]

This is dd, i think shes might be a bit chunky, but i wouldn't say overweight. Plus shes due a growth spurt soon!

[MrsLeighHalfpenny]

I wouldn't say she was overweight either. Ignore the schools recommendations if you're happy with the way things are. Its just a check for your information really. Or you could make an appt with the school nurse if you want clarification.

[Floggingmolly]

You can't expect them to factor in her impending growth spurt!! .
She weighs what she weighs.
A variance of 1 pound (and more) is perfectly normal depending on what time of day you're weighed at, what you've recently eaten/drunk, etc.
So she's in the ballpark of the weight they said she was...

[DontOpenDeadInside]

I'm more annoyed that the statistics will be incorrect if they did this with every child.

[Superexcited]

I don't think taking jumpers off is essential but shoes might make a difference if they are heavy clunky shoes.
I don't measure my children by BMI because it is a very blunt tool. I use my eyes instead: if I can see the outline of my children's ribs when they raise their hands above their heads then I know that they are a healthy weight. If it ever gets to the point where I can't easily see their ribs then I know they are too chunky and I would do smething about it without my children realising.

[Fooshufflewickbannanapants]

Views of overweight have definitely changed though eh?

[ImSoCoolNow]

Aw the little darling. She's so little! Not overweight at all. Great way to get kids obsessing about their weight so young though eh? I'd be fuming if I got a letter like that from the school. She looks average for her height from the picture. As long as she eats a balanced diet and is active I wouldn't make an issue.

[RandomFriend]

Is she very sporty? My DD at age 7 was called in for a discussion with two nurses after having been identified as "obese" according to the weight and height measurements that had been taken the previous week. They were surprised to see a tiny (both in height and width), very fit gymnast and wondered if they had got the wrong child. Muscle weighs so much more than fat that the BMI as calculated for someone who is short and sporty can be quite misleading.

[VikingVolva]

You said 'probably' with boots on. Why?

And if course, weighing first thing gives the lowest possible result, especially if after morning pee (which is why dieters go for it, good for morale).

So her actual, hydrated, weight might be nearer to the measurement that day.

Or it might just be the scales being off. That can be either way, and there are so many in use that it probably cancels itself all effect.

[DontOpenDeadInside]

Not especially sporty, and I said "probably" because she had her boots on that day (weird child wears boots in the summer-like her sister who wore socks all winter, then wants tights this week!)

[meditrina]

I'd be fuming if I got a letter like that from the school."

So should everyone. Although this survey, which has been running since the 1940s, has always been hosted in schools, it is run by NHS and it should be they who write. If the school has somehow insinuated itself into this process, something is badly amiss.

[SquareStarfish]

The stats might now be wrong by one child but let me tell you in year 6 when the nurse comes in each and every child who opts out is overweight and they are obviously not weighed so the stats are out anyway.

P.s your child is on the cusp of being overweight and already does look chunky. Keep a very close eye on her diet and I'm sure all will be fine.