Campaigners call for children to undergo yearly 'obesity MOTs'
Currently school children are weighed at the start and end of their time at primary school. However, figures show that obesity rates double between the two periods.
Figures show that one in 10 children aged four to five is obese, whilst this rises to one in five children aged 10-11.
The National Obesity Forum (NOF) is now campaigning for the annual weigh-ins to be included in the Government’s upcoming obesity strategy, expected in the New Year.
Tam Fry, spokesperson for the NOF, told The Telegraph: “We monitor our cars yearly by law to ensure that they are ticking over nicely. We weigh chimps at the zoo every twelve months to ensure that they are in good health. Yet we don’t afford our children routine check-ups which would alert us the need to take action.”
The campaign group hopes that the annual weigh-ins will help to detect the onset of obesity early on. Teachers and primary school staff would be trained to perform the weigh-ins, rather than bringing in medical staff.