A new study has found many doctors ignore recommended national guidelines for tackling childhood obesity.
It is recommended that GPs measure the height and weight of all children aged two to eighteen twice a year, to calculate their Body Mass Index - a tool for assessing and managing weight for children.
The study, conducted by the National Health and Medical Research Council over 29 medical practices, found only 44 per cent of GPs regularly weighed children and only 38 per cent regularly measured children.
The council raised further concerns over doctors using inaccurate scales and equipment to measure height, potentially leading to serious misclassification of children's weight status.
It says the number of overweight or obese children and adolescents has doubled in the past 15 years to up to one quarter of the population.