Fat Test for 4 Year Olds (and a Comment on the Role of Government)

New Australian health minister, Nicola Roxon, announced recently that, starting in 2009, Body Mass Index (BMI) tests will be conducted on 4 year olds. While there is a lack of detail in this new policy, my immediate reaction is that it is a positive move ONLY if the results are confidential and use for statistical information only. We do not want to get into a situation where children a “branded” and stigmatised in schools.

This got me thinking (again) about the role of government in solving childhood obesity. The role of government to educate and create an environment for people to make decisions for themselves. It is their role to create an environment so that the marketplace of ideas can flow freely and allow new innovative solutions to flourish. If, as a society, we decide to wait for a government solution, organisations and individuals are discouraged from seeking their novel solutions as it becomes “the government’s problem.”

Most parents are aware of childhood obesity and can make informed decisions about their families health and wellbeing. Childhood obesity will not be solved by government “junk food” taxes and bans. It will be solved from the ground-up, from children, parents, schools, businesses and local communities. Let them figure out the solution.

This entry (Permalink) was posted on Tuesday, December 11th, 2007 at 2:50 pm and is filed under legislation, australia, childhood obesity. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site.