Other huge flaw of the child measurement scheme which experts warn spark rise ... trends now
It may do more harm than good and potentially encourage eating disorders in kids, researchers warned today.
But it's not the first time the NHS-backed scheme has faced criticism.
Disgruntled parents have for years blasted the 'moronic' National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) for wrongly labelling their slim children overweight.
And even public health experts have called for the 'fat letter' to be scrapped.
The NCMP was established in state-funded schools in England in 2006 as part of the war on childhood obesity.
Nutritionist Aaron Nee slammed 'moronic' NHS BMI checks after his slim five-year-old son Jacob (left) was branded overweight
Lauren Ormesher was furious after receiving a letter which said her four-year-old daughter Maggie (right) was 'overweight'
Jemma Fletcher criticised health bosses after receiving a letter which labelled her five-year-old daughter Lily (left) overweight last year and in 2018, Ariel Marsden was 'horrified' when her four-year-old daughter Belle (left) was also branded overweight
It measures the height and weight of children when they start primary school and again in year six.
These two measurements are used to generate a Body Mass Index, which is then compared to a national scale to determine whether that child is underweight, normal, overweight or obese.
Children are classified into centiles, which show how they compare to the rest of the country as a percentage.
For example, a girl on the 75th centile is heavier than 75 out of 100 other girls her age.
Using this data, children are then categorised as 'underweight', a 'healthy weight', 'overweight' or 'very overweight'.
Parents are sent a letter with their child's results within six weeks of them being measured.
One parent who has previously criticised the NCMP is Aaron Nee, from East Sussex, whose then-five-year-old son Jacob came home with a letter urging his parents to 'make healthy changes' in September.
Mr Nee's 3ft 11in son, who 'hardly has an ounce of fat on him', was deemed 'overweight' at 26.2kg (4st 1lb).
Another parent to express their anger at the scheme was Lauren Ormesher, 32, of Lancashire, whose daughter Maggie, then-four, was also branded 'overweight' last March.
The youngster is active, dances each week and was crowned the 'petite' Lancashire winner of a national pageant called 'Miss Diamond UK'.
Yorkshire's Jemma Fletcher was 'absolutely disgusted' when her then-five-year-old daughter Lily received the same branding in 2021.
Mrs Fletcher said there's 'nothing on' her daughter, 'she's
