“It’s Like an Iceberg”: Storying the Student Experience of Classroom-Based Anthropometric Measurement

Anthropometric measurement (AM) is conducted in classrooms for educational screening purposes, and is often done in the context of childhood obesity prevention. Past research has indicated that classroom-based AM practices pose risks to student well-being by compromising student privacy, perpetuating weight-centric beliefs that encourage dangerous health practices, and facilitating weight stigmatization. Previous research on classroom-based AM have used quantitative methods to summarize survey data on student perceptions and experiences with body measurement in the classroom. The current study sought to build upon previous findings through a qualitative exploration of the enduring impacts of classroom-based AM on students. Using narrative inquiry methodology, I spoke with five adults aged 23-32 who disclosed experiences with classroom-based AM. The influence of AM on ideas about weight and health, relationships with food and exercise, and body image were discussed among other salient narrative threads. Unexpectedly, AM-adjacent experiences (i.e., non-measurement activities that nonetheless tend to promote weight-centric health ideas, such as food logging and calorie counting exercises) also emerged and were discussed throughout the interviews. The stories from this inquiry suggest that, even if done with good intentions, having one’s body measured in school is not a neutral act due to the social and moral implications that pervade the practice. The findings from this study are intended to inform future teaching practices and policies regarding anthropometric measurement, and are relevant to those in the educational and helping professions, such as teachers, coaches, principals, counsellors, and psychologists.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MSc)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education Graduate Program – Educational Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Werklund School of Education

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Archibald, Katherine Joyce

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Russell-Mayhew, Shelly

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• MacGregor, Stephen
• Zhao, Xu

• Weight Stigma
• Anthropometric Measurement
• Anthropometry
• Weight Bias
• Physical Education
• Health Education
• Weight-Neutral
• Weight-Neutral Education

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/48628

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/121038