Posted on 08/29/2005 5:36:47 AM PDT by Born Conservative
State mandates screenings, notifying parents of findings and follow-ups.
“Wrestlers, football players, dancers … any kids involved in a lot of physical activity or athletics will have a muscle mass that figures into their weight and gives them a higher BMI.” Patricia Montalbano Northeast school health consultant of the State Department of Health
Parents already concerned about their kids’ SATs, GPAs and PSSAs can add another acronym to the list: BMI.
Starting this year, all Pennsylvania schools must start calculating and sending home the body mass indexes, or BMIs, of students, telling parents whether their kids’ weight is appropriate for their height, age and gender.
Children will fall into four categories: underweight, the proper weight, overweight, or at risk for becoming overweight.
This year, schools must calculate and send home indexes for students in kindergarten through fourth grade, with grades five to eight added the following year.
By the 2007-08 school year, the indexes of all students through 12th grade must be tabulated.
The state Department of Health is mandating this Pennsylvania Growth Screening Program to harness growing obesity rates and encourage parents to do something about weight problems, said spokesman Richard McGarvey.
Roughly 17.5 percent of Pennsylvania’s youth ages 5 to 19 are overweight, higher than the 15.3 percent national average, said Patricia Montalbano, the department’s northeast school health consultant based in Wilkes-Barre.
Schools will urge parents to consult with their family doctors about the results because schools won’t diagnose specific problems.
The state warns that students might have artificially high indexes if they have a high level of lean body tissue or muscle.
“Wrestlers, football players, dancers … any kids involved in a lot of physical activity or athletics will have a muscle mass that figures into their weight and gives them a higher BMI,” Montalbano said.
Children with high indexes because of excess fat are at increased risk for serious health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure. Such risks are diminished if weight problems are detected and corrected early, McGarvey said.
Underweight children also face health risks, especially if they are nutrient deficient, Montalbano said. The test might flag children who have eating disorders, such as anorexia, which can go undetected beneath baggy clothes.
Each school will decide whether to distribute the indexes by mail, attached to report cards or during parent-teacher meetings. Schools must issue annual reports showing which percentage of their students fall into each of the four categories.
Schools are expected to follow through and try to correct problems.
By July 1, 2006, all schools that receive federal funding for school meals must form health advisory councils and develop wellness policies to increase physical activity and nutrition, Montalbano said.
Some schools have already opted to remove soda machines from school property, encouraging students to drink more water and low-fat milk, Montalbano said.
Students might notice changes in gym class too as part of a national push to replace or supplement dodge ball and flag football with physical activities students are more likely to pursue as adults, such as yoga, dancing, weightlifting and even walking with pedometers.
“More schools are trying to teach things that students can do their whole life, activities that will carry them past 12th grade,” Montalbano said.
She and others want to help kids get to the proper weight but not make them feel bad about themselves.
“We don’t want to be the fat police. These BMIs are not an indictment against children or their parents,” said Beth Trapani, spokeswoman for the nonprofit Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity. “We don’t care what kids look like. We just want them to be healthy.”
Trapani is helping schools find ways to make fitness and healthy eating tangible and fun for kids, including upcoming apple distributions and chaperoned walks to school.
She’s driven by a government warning that said unless people fight obesity, the country will be raising the first generation of kids who won’t live as long as their parents, thanks to health risks associated with obesity.
Kathleen McCarthy, principal of Wycallis Elementary School in Dallas Township, supports the effort. Several years ago, she rejected a request from students to serve iced tea in the cafeteria. She also encourages students to run around during recess.
“Healthy bodies and minds – they go together,” she said.
Government schools exist to raise children. Education is secondary to indoctrination.
BMI is an iffy way to judge obesity if you ask me. Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds are both obese, for instance, if judged by BMI.
the parents will just sue the schools claiming they hurt the childs feelings by telling them they are overweight...
Homeschool starts today. I don't think I'll be charting BMI's for a while though.
My understanding is that true BMI is a good test. However, the height/weight calculation that is used is OFTEN inaccurate. It is inaccurate not only for athletes, but also for those with thicker bones.
The proper test requires submersion in water to test water displacement. This test is far more accurate (and the principle goes back to Archimedes).
BMI is a good measure. There is just no easy and inexpensive way to get the number. And it is none of their business. (Yet one more reason to homeschool!)
My daughter was judged to be very underweight in 4th grade. Without informing me, a nurse checked her lunch intake every day for several weeks, and was quite baffled when my daughter was not only eating her lunch, but cleaning up the remnants of friends' lunches.
I was very happy to inform them that HAD THEY ASKED ME, high metabolism's a family trait (at least until age 35!). I told them that they did not have my permission to monitor my daughter's weight or eating habits - that was my job.
Big brother (or big mother) at work - wasting tax dollars on useless endeavours.
It was a tremendous success not only for health, but the teachers were pleased to notice that the kids were well behaved after lunch.
Diet is vital to well being, but surely measuring children's fat is not the answer.
If parents don't want to take their family's health into consideration I fail to see how this is a gummint issue.
Public schools are obsessed with EVERYTHING but teaching.....
Children with high indexes because of excess fat are at increased risk for serious health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure.
Will require a home visit by family services.
Underweight children also face health risks, especially if they are nutrient deficient"
will require a home visit by family services.
Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who's the fattest of them all?
…any kids involved in a lot of physical activity or athletics will have a muscle mass that figures into their weight and gives them a higher BMI.”
Ping
There ARE three body types:
a. Endomorphes -- natural sumo wrestler types (My sister-in-law was this way, 6' tall, 350 lbs, fat, yes, but who was at her very fittest at 199 lbs. Just a very large woman.)
b. Mesomorphes -- "average" or medium body types
c. Ectomorphes -- small boned, bird bodies (Southeast Asians and their tiny, little wrists come to mind....and those are the men.)
The public schools WON'T know this. Lol. Incomplete information, as usual, as always.
They will BLAST away at the endomorphes and hold up the ectomorphes as the "ideal," Wrong yet again.
You're a good one to talk, Dunderhead Ed.
Agreed. I'm not suggesting that this is the school's job (it's not) however, doing body composition estimates using calipers is more accurate, and not that difficult (if I can learn to do it, anyone can!).
And besides, a parent can look at a child and know if they are overweight. Parents know. They are either already doing something, or they are ignoring it.
I just saw an article in our local paper about ''muffin tops''. It refers to the flab that hangs over the low riding pants so many of the girls wear. Back in the day (when I was in school), few girls would have worn low riding pants and either a short or tight, clingy top if she had fat hanging over. I can't figure out if there is a mirror shortage these days, or if kids think fat is attractive, or they just don't care. But, with the clothes they wear, their parents are aware of their level of body fat, as are the rest of us.
susie
Sounds like a privacy issue to me. Wouldn't this be considered medical records?
It's a woin-win situation! We can MAKE the kids fat, and then invade the privacy of the children and their families BECAUSE they're fat!
And raise taxes in the process, to boot!
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