Under the National Child Measurement Programme, all reception class andYear 6 pupils are weighed and measured during the school year.
Previously, parents were not told the results, but from next term allPrimary Care Trusts are being encouraged to notify them.
The Independent on Sunday claimed this week that thousands of parentskept their children off school the day their child was due to beweighed, making childhood obesity a far wider condition than previouslythought.
The newspaper revealed documents showing that despite a Governmentcampaign to produce a comprehensive picture of the problem, the results'may underestimate the true population prevalence of obesity andoverweight at national, regional and local level.'
The latest Government figures from the National Obesity Observatory showthat one in ten children aged four and five are obese and a further 13per cent are overweight.
