Obesity tests for four-year-olds in England

Tests to see if children aged four and 10 are overweight are being introduced in schools.

The Department of Health has opted to go ahead with the tests, despite opponents saying it could lead to overweight children being bullied.

Pupils in England will be weighed and measured as they start primary school and again before they leave.

The results will be given to parents and local health chiefs, but overweight pupils will not be offered extra help.

From next year, parents of any obese four or 10 year olds can expect a letter telling them their child faces long-term health damage unless they lose weight.

The government said the aim is to give it and primary care trusts, which run community NHS health services at a local level, a better idea of which geographical areas have a childhood obesity problem.

But parents will be given the right to refuse permission for the child to be tested and to ask not to be sent the results.

Steve - as we said last week regarding overall philosophy in tackling the obesity crisis, England is taking a much harder line than the U.S. Will they see better results? Time will tell.