Call for schools weighing programme to be scrapped

Public Health Jersey said its programme helps collects date to monitor progress and plan services to tackle child obesity

A parent has criticised a government programme in Jersey for labelling children "overweight and obese".

The Jersey Child Measurement Programme weighs and measures children as young as five years old.

The parent said they believed the programme should be “scrapped”, adding they felt they had failed in bringing up their child.

Public Health Jersey said the programme had been running for 15 years and it helped plan services to tackle child obesity.

The parent, who cannot be named to protect their child’s identity, said they received a letter through the post and in “big bold letters” which stated their child was overweight.

They said it made them “question his parenting skills” and felt as if they were doing “something wrong”.

They said: “We felt a bit lost because my child, in my eyes, isn't overweight and I think anyone who sees my child would agree with me.”

Public Health Jersey said childhood obesity and excess weight were “significant health issues for children and their families.”

Head of health improvement Martin Knight says the programme helps children

It said the work enabled the government to monitor progress and plan services to tackle child obesity.

Martin Knight, head of health improvement in Jersey defended the programme and said the language used to describe children was “carefully thought through”.

“The programme helps us track children's weight and height over time to understand what the needs of our community are,” said Mr Knight.