A mother from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, said that she received a letter saying that her active 4-year-old daughter is overweight.
Lauren Ormesher received the letter after a Body Mass Index weight check at Cobbs Brow Primary School.
“We got a letter home saying she’s overweight – I put a post up on Facebook and it turns out a lot of kids all over the country got this letter saying they’re overweight,” Lauren said, according to LancsLive.
“It’s nothing to do with school – a lot of parents had it and had received letters; one was from South Wales and some were from London area and all over the place,” the 32-year-old mother continued.
“Our letter was addressed to the parent or guardian of Maggie and it said she was overweight according to their test.
“I was quite shocked as she’s a very healthy child and to see the word ‘overweight’ seemed crazy.
“Then I felt angry at the damage a letter like this could do to such young children.”
Lauren is now campaigning for an end to weight checks of children as the letters could prompt some parents and guardians to restrict their kids’ diets.
“My concern was that some parents might put their kids on a diet and eating disorders, and all the stress that this entails,” she said.
“Maggie is quite active – she goes Morris dancing once a week, and she’s not overweight or anything in the slightest. It’s about spreading awareness.
“A lot of people are not happy with the BMI weight checks.
“There are alternative methods of keeping children healthy rather than weight checking them.”
“It causes the parents stress as well, if they feel they’ve failed as a parent and their child is fine. It only takes one parent to say let’s put you on a diet and that diet culture can put a child into thinking that that’s a normal way to live,” she added.
“You have children with eating disorders and it isn’t a good way for a child to feel healthy.”
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