Mohamad Ali Hasan, president of the National Parent-Teacher Association Collaborative Council, said there was a need to look at the problem holistically.

“To curb obesity among preschool and primary school children, early warning systems such as medical and dental checks must be carried out periodically,” he said.

“The nutritional value of food served in the canteen as well as around the perimeter of the school must also be checked periodically and at random.”

He said carrying out BMI checks alone could cause other problems among children, such as insecurity and frustration over a feeling of being abnormal.

Periodic mental or psychological checks should be conducted, he said.

Ali also said schools must adhere strictly to the physical education syllabus and schedule health talks by professionals for students and parents or guardians.

Tunku Munawirah Putra, secretary of the Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia, said the quality of a child’s diet depended on his or her parents’ income and living environment.

“The urban poor do not have a place to grow their own food,” she said. “So they feed their children what is convenient and available. Their diet may not be healthy and balanced.

“It would be up to the school and teachers to instil in children the importance of a balanced meal. In turn, the children can influence their parents’ purchasing habits.”

Tunku Munawirah said BMI checks should be followed up with an investigation of what needed to be done for overweight children whose parents could not afford healthy food.

On the mental effects of BMI checks, she said school administrators conducting the checks should be empathetic towards children when they become anxious and take the necessary precautions.

“Schools and the education ministry should encourage physical activities on top of implementing the BMI checks,” she said.

“It’s not just food, but the awareness that a healthy lifestyle includes an active lifestyle.”