Mum’s anger after health officials labelled her five-year-old daughter overweight
Shocked Kylie Holgate received letter after daughter Eleeshia Watkin took part in the National Child Measurement Programme
A mum-of-two has hit out after health officials labelled her five-year-old daughter overweight.
Eleeshia Watkin took part in the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) through her primary school following an NHS campaign to tackle childhood obesity.
But her mother Kylie Holgate, 28, from Sheffield was shocked when she received a letter from Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust branding her little girl as overweight.
The letter showed that the girl's height was 3ft 5inches and her weight was 3st 2lbs. It stated: "These results suggest that your child is overweight for their age, sex and height."
Furious mum Kylie said: “I was shocked to read the letter. Eleeshia eats very healthily and is a very active child. She is in no way big for her age. She doesn’t even like chips or sugary snacks.
“Anyone with common sense knows you only need to look at her to see she’s not overweight.
“Making children step on weighing scales at such a young age just encourages eating disorders and body confidence issues. It’s completely wrong.”
The letter, which Kylie received earlier this month, claimed Eleeshia was overweight after her BMI was calculated, based on her age, sex and height.
It suggested she encourage her daughter to ‘make simple changes to be more active’, despite already being fit and healthy.
Eleeshia, who attends Norfolk Park Community Primary School in Sheffield enjoys dancing and riding around on her scooter.
Mum Kylie, who works part time as a cleaner, is especially wary of acting on the letter’s advice and changing her daughter’s eating habits as she herself developed bulimia as a teenager after being called ‘fat’ by school bullies.
And for many years she had an unhealthy relationship with food.
She said: “As a child I was self-conscious about my body. I hated my figure and was bullied mercilessly as a teen for being a size 12.
“I would hate for my own children to experience body issues. To me there is no ‘normal’ weight and telling a child they need to lose weight puts pressure on parents and kids.
“For two years I suffered an eating disorder until I received counselling. I would never want my children to go through that.
National Child Measurement Programme explained
The National Child Measurement Programme is a scheme that sees children in Reception and Year Six weighed and measured at school. This will be used to calculate their BMI.
The figure is reached by comparing a child’s weight with their age, height and sex.
Once the BMI is calculated, the child will be placed in one of four categories - underweight, healthy weight, overweight or very overweight.
About one in five children in Reception are overweight or obese, rising to one in three in Year Six.
Before their child is measured parents will receive a letter with more information from their local NHS.
They will then be informed what category their child falls in to.
However, the scheme is not compulsory.
The information is used by the NHS to plan and provide better health services for children.
“Since having kids, I have worked hard to educate them to eat healthily and exercise.”
The NCMP test is routine practice for children aged four and five, and is repeated when the youngsters reach Year 6.
Kylie added: “I’m sure there are kids who do have problems but, in our case, it's just procedure and someone should have used their eyes to realise Eleeshia is a normal, healthy girl.
“To me it’s dangerous telling kids they’re different to others.
“Eleeshia asked me what obese meant the other day, so she’s obviously heard others talk about weight. They’re too young to start becoming aware of their bodies.”
Eleeshia lives at home with brother Riley, now four, and Kylie’s partner Mark Thorpe, 42.
Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust declined to comment and instead provided a link to the National Child Measurement Programme’s online guidelines, which provide more information for parents.
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