What do you think - should UK schools be 'forced' into informing parents...

The problem is that so many children are obese. Parents have let the children get this way. Perhaps the government should have mandatory PE every day to get some of these kids more active This fast becoming a very serious health risk.

Not only are they making the schools point out overweight and obese children to the parents but the schools are also labeling the child and even though the parents and child will be more aware...they will also be more self conscious about how they look in a negative matter. My children are all healthy. But one of my children has a different build than the others...I have seven. If one compared her with my other children, they might say she is at risk. But that is stupid! She is not over weight and exercises regularly. She just carrying her weight differently. I would hate for my daughter's school to call me and inform me that she may be at risk of being over weight...because I would have some few choice words that would not be so nice to the person that had to call me! These are my kids. And in no way do I want some school or health officials tell me how to raise my children. Period. If the government officials step in on every parenting matter...where will they stop? Will parents have any rights at all? Or will we be given a handbook on the government guidelines on how to raise my child?

I think it is not proper if the schools tell directly to their parents if their child is obese or not obese...The better wat is that when parents send their child to school, the schoold should make a record for the child and ask for their parents opinion if the school can inform them if their child are getting obese... If the parents agree, the school should do it. if the parents disagree, the school should do not...

Yes they should! Fat people are costing the health care system millions and billions of dollars each year and why because people just do not know when to say when! Moderation people! quit watching tv all day and night and get out and do sumthing!

i think they should... more than having concern about how to put it softly or anything else, they should try to apply the surgeon's knife.. although it might seem a bit rude to parents, they are to understand that it is for the child's good in the long run... if corrected at a young age itself, the child will not suffer from obesity-related problems like cholestrol and heart problems when he/she grows up.. you are absolutely right.

I don't think it is up to the school to do this. Parents can get very defensive about it. it is better for the doctor to inform the parents.

This is totally unacceptable and if the MPs get their way it will not last for very long due to the inevitable objections from both the parents and the school employees. A school is designed to impart knowledge, and hopefully play some part in the social life and development of behavioural patterns in a child during the formulative years. It would be prudent and desirable for the school to contact the parents in the case of suspected health problems, but the suggestion of telling the parents that their child is overweight is certainly going too far. This is strictly the domain of the parents and it would constitute offense and interference on behalf of the schools. The ironic thing is that we are not short of overweight members in the government.

That is not correct,is all i wud say....I know its a matter of concern but that is not the way it is to be handled.The institutions can themselves think of alternate ways of handling that by providing the right amt of "physical exercises" to each of such children! Only if the parents are doing something adverse,shud they infrm them!

great question, a plus from me. In all honesty I think parents and particularly the children are more often than not painfully aware that their children are obese. I cant see how the parents having their perceived inadequacies pointed out to them will help anyone. Also I feel such statements will simply damage a child's self esteem, at a point when it is most vulnerable. In short I think this is a bad idea at a number of levels thank you for starting this discussion blessed be

I do not think schools should be forced into telling parents their child is obese. When you get down to it, that seems to be a medical diagnoses and schools should not practice medicine. I think the schools could send home general information on obesity and other health issues related problems for children, to all parents. That way the information is for the parents to learn about and look further into, but the schools are not pointing out one child in particular.

I believe it is up to the parents, however, if they sent information home and letting the parents accept them talking to their children I can see that. I have friends in the UK and most of them are really strict about eating and becoming bigger...I think the thought not wantin the kids to be obese is a healthy look, however, they should consider talkin to the parents maybe having a school meeting BEFORE just doing it

i would think that the parent would already know if their children are fat how would a child hide that fact from their parents? in stead of informing the parent about the bleeding obvious the fat kids should not attend school until they are healthy unless there is a major medical reason that can not be treated the parent should also be charged obesity will then decline rapidly and the country would get healthier this would be true everywhere not just uk

How can the children be obese without the parents being aware of it? I don't see it as a school matter though

This is interesting. While parents may complain that they are insulted or feel defensive if this issue is brought to their attention they need to step back and look at a few things like: 1. They obviously are not monitoring what they are feeding their kids. 2. Having electronic games in the house contributes to laziness and therfore obesity. 3. If they choose to ignore attempts to educate them and the children on proper eating habits and exercise then understand that they are the reason for the high cost of health care for everyone. It all needs to boil down to one important issue....do you love your child enough to keep him/her healthy? I say schools should get involved because quite honestly, some people need a kick in the butt to get their attention on a matter and....I think allowing a child to become obese should be considered a form of child abuse. After all, if a child is malnourished and under weight, then we look to the parents as to why the child is not being cared for properly, right? Same thing but in the reverse. I say, go for it and put the plan into action.

Being overweight can only play a part in your mental ability if you let it!. There are many politicians that have a great mental ability to go through life even though they are a bigger size than most people. Size and weight have no bearing on how intelligent we are and the sooner the government realise that fact the better for all. We are forced by law to have children in thier schools so that they can be educated. So it is the schools fault and no one elses if the child under performs.

Well it is definitely a concern but if the parents don't know their child is obese by just looking at them then there is a real problem. I feel so sorry for these kids. Parents can help to control this they just have to want to or be made to.

This is an interesting article. I know nothing abour UK schools or their eating habbits for that matter. Schools test childrens hearing and vision on an annual basis or at least they used to. When a problem is found, the parents are contacted. Vision and hearing play a big part in the childs learning process. As far as I know, nobody has ever complained about this testing and usually rush to seek the proper dr to treat the childs problem. I guess the question is: Does being overweight interfer with a childs learning ability? I do not know what any studies or if any studies have been done on this or not. I do know that when I begin to gain weight, I am not as quick or as energetic as I am when my weight is at a healthy level. For me, I think being overweight may play a part in my mental ability to think at my best or to feel good about myself so I can be more alert.

i think i would have enough intelligence of my own to know if my child was obese, i would be highly insulted if a teacher took it upon herself to tell me this. i think they should stop giving out grotty school dinners , remove the crisp machine and give more talks about healthy eating.

yes think so , but i cant tell anything about uk schools

This is a very interesting article! Instead of outright telling parents that their children are obese, another method should be used. The schools could try a month-long focus on health. The children could learn about health, and take the information home to their parents. The school could also send home information sheets with children's weight, blood pressure, and % body fat in the hopes that parents will become informed. From this, parents can gather information and make their own decisions. The school can also require its students to attend PE class three days a week. Students opposed can bring signed notes from parents.