Closed petition Scrap the NHS' National Child Measurement Programme for children in Year 6

Closed on 8 April 2019

Parents are told their child’s overweight if they're on the 91st centile (14% of Yr 6), but many are healthy. In a vulnerable child, this label can lead to eating disorders and THEN they become unhealthy. The scheme isn't working; child obesity at this age has continued to rise since it began.

This NHS scheme hasn't lowered obesity rates, but much needed funding is spent on this ineffective scheme, as well as support for eating disorders that could have been triggered by it. Schools often feed children unhealthy meals but then weigh them and they are are obese. Eating disorders at this age are highly damaging as they delay puberty; children can't develop and grow, and mental well-being is drastically affected. This happened to me 2 years ago, age 11, when I was deemed 'overweight'.