School nurses could be tasked with weighing students to help curb the growing issue of childhood obesity under a controversial new plan.
The country’s peak body for nurses, the Australian College of Nursing, has recommended every school-aged child in Australia should be given access to a nurse for regular check-ups – including the collection of weight data.
ACN chief executive Professor Leanne Boyd said nurses were “uniquely positioned” to identify at-risk children and can handle the complexities of weight stigma.
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“Nurse-led interventions, which are proven effective in various settings, offer a flexible and cost-effective solution,” Boyd said in a statement.
“Supporting nurses with training, resources, and leadership opportunities is crucial to optimise impact in combating childhood obesity.”
The ACN proposed this reform as part of its Working With Children Above a Healthy Weight: Nurse-led Interventions statement, which comes as the level of children with obesity in Australia climbs.
The reform includes a policy that would ensure every child has access to a qualified nurse.
In the report, the ACN said nurses would focus discussion on “growing into” weight, not going on a “diet”.
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This controversial weight-focused recommendation hasn’t been welcomed by everyone in the industry, however.
Dr Zali Yager, executive director of body image advocacy group The Embrace Collective, told the Sydney Morning Herald she believed the proposal should be about healthcare, not weight.
“I support the idea that ensures every school-aged child has access to a qualified nurse but suggest that this should be to support their health, not focus on their weight,” she said.
“The US is currently rolling back their widespread BMI screening programs because they were not helpful in changing weight, but very harmful for children’s psychological health.”
A report by the ACN found that one in four children aged between four and 15 in Australia are either obese or overweight.
Childhood obesity is also expected to double worldwide by 2035.
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