# Adolescents’ Experiences with Being Weighed at School: A Qualitative Interview Study in Norway

## TL;DR

This study explores how Norwegian teenagers feel about being weighed at school, finding that it can lead to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the psychosocial effects of school-based weight measurements on adolescents.

## Key findings

- Participants reported increased body awareness and dissatisfaction after being weighed.
- School weighing can trigger peer discussions and pressure to disclose weight.
- Lack of privacy and unclear voluntariness undermined the health-promoting purpose of weighing.

## Abstract

School-based weight measurements are routinely used in public health surveillance and are intended to support the early identification of health risks. However, concerns have been raised regarding unintended consequences, and research on pupils’ experiences remains limited. This study explored how upper secondary school pupils retrospectively reflect on being weighed in school. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 adolescents aged 16 to 19 years in Western Norway, and the data were analyzed using systematic text condensation. Participants described responses ranging from neutrality to increased body awareness, body dissatisfaction, and, in some cases, the onset of eating disorders. Weighing can prompt peer discussions, including pressure to disclose one’s weight and to engage in body comparisons. Organizational factors such as limited privacy, lack of information, and unclear voluntariness shaped experiences that could undermine the intended health-promoting purpose. These findings indicate that school-based weighting poses psychosocial risks that undermine its health-promoting aims and contribute to the broader debate over whether such practices should continue. To better align with health-promoting goals, school health services should ensure privacy, provide clear communication about the purpose and voluntariness of weighing, and offer opportunities for dialogue. Public health nurses should use sensitive and stigma-free communication when weight deviations are identified.