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.
Currently one in four kids are overweight and it’s predicted this will double by 2035. The peak body of nurses wants school nurses to teach healthy habits.
Karen Grace, National Director of Professional Practice, spoke to 6PR Breakfast hosts Millsy and Karl on the controversial proposal for school nurses to weigh kids.
“The problem isn’t going away in terms of the prevalence of kids that are above a healthy weight.”
ACN chief executive Professor Leanne Boyd said nurses were “uniquely positioned” to identify at-risk children and can handle the complexities of weight stigma.
