Website of the Department of Health

Research into parental attitudes towards the routine measurement of children’s height and weight

In 2007, the Department of Health commissioned research on parental attitudes towards the National Child Measurement Programme.

The main aims of the research were to:

• explore the perspectives of parents and children towards weighing and measuring in relation to the 2005-06 National Child Measurement Programme; and
• consider the impact of providing feedback to parents on height and weight data regarding their children, as well as considering body-mass index (BMI) and other generic information.

The main conclusions include:

• parents generally valued feedback of the height and weight data as well as information on whether the child is a healthy weight or not.
• The report found that attitudes towards the exercise were generally positive.  However, advance information, the choice to opt-out and the provision of feedback were deemed important elements of a measurement programme.
• Parents generally felt that provision of the height and weight with an information leaflet about healthy lifestyles would be informative and helpful and such information could be put into practice by parents.
  

• Download the report (PDF, 3316K)