May 2010 - Hot Topic

Children’s Healthy Weight Surveillance

The reported prevalence of obesity among children has prompted many public health practitioners to ask about the prevalence among children in Ontario.

Ontario does not have accurate population-based data on this measurement. The issue of surveillance of heights and weights in children has recently been considered by a committee headed by Linda Stewart from the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) and Ruth Sanderson from the Ontario Agency of Health Protections and Promotion (OAHPP). Their committee, with expert advice, has considered the need and the possible negative consequences of measuring heights and weights in children.

Draft guidelines for undertaking healthy weights surveillance in Grade 2 children is now being pilot tested. To learn more about the details, download Update #2 [PDF] from the Steering Committee.