Body policies and body pedagogies: every child matters in totally pedagogised schools?

This paper documents how health is storied into existence by ‘obesity discourse’ to become part of the ‘natural attitude’ towards the health of individuals or populations. We draw attention to some of the major policy documentation influencing thinking on ‘health’ and school health education in the UK over recent years, especially, every child matters (ECM) and subsequent, related measures, for example the National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP). We suggest that these measures have helped shape and make a ‘totally pedagogised society’ and ‘totally pedagogised schools’ in which ‘health’, reduced to an issue of weight, exercise and diet, becomes everyone’s concern, everywhere. The analyses highlight the socio-political and psychological leanings of such policy documentation and its potential effect on the identities of children and young people when institutionalised and ‘authorised’ through state policies and the body pedagogies of schools and multiple other agencies.