11/01/2008

Weight Management in Singapore Schools

Here in Singapore, my neighbour's daughter is weighed at 35kg. She is only in Primary 2 this year. According to her mother, she is grossly overweight by 7kg, for her height and age. During recess time, she has to follow a school program of some 10 or 15 minutes of exercise before having a meal.


I'm not sure if they are allowed to eat... I know the health nurse says she is not allowed to buy from the vending machines. Not sure how they monitor the girls, but it's part of a school programmed to weigh the children since Primary 1 and put them into a weight management control. They call this TAF programme. (Trim and Fit). Being overweight, she is common subject of joke in her school. Jokes against fat people are really cruel. TV is glamourous with pencil thin stars. In fact, being in TAF programme itself, the kids the subject of being a fat joke.

I am not sure about you but I think it the TAF programme is actually stereotyping the kids as fat, further. Will it be healthy? If it helps them, its an excellent programme but what if it become a mental embarrassment for them? What do you think?

0 comments: