Law require schools to record students BMI

[Jenne]

As someone who suffered in school because of bad eyesight, I say there is a valid reason for schools to be concerned with vision and hearing. I couldn't see the board, so was written off as stupid for the first five years I was in school. It wasn't until my sixth grade teacher realized my reading (college-level) didn't match my school performance that I finally got the glasses I need. My eyesight directly affected my learning. I don't know if there has been any proof that having a high BMI affects your learning ability.

I agree that parents need to take responsibility and be educated about their children's health. I'm as horrified as anyone to see a two-year-old drinking Coke from her bottle, or to see children drinking three or four sugary drinks (My MIL thinks Sunny D is "healthy," and I'm sure some of these other parents think the same thing.)

I did not blame schools entirely for the health problems of kids. But I do think that what is within the school's power to control-- the hot lunches available-- should be healthy. If they're offering the same junk the parents offer at home, how dare they then judge the students based on their nutritional status? The school can't control bag lunches, but they can certainly look at the hot lunches they offer (especially to the free lunch kids.... I wonder if that slice of pizza or bowl of cheese nachos is the only hot meal they'll get that day.)

 

[EricaH]

I got so fed up with the amount of junk my kids were offered/given to at school last year that I wrote a letter to the principal asking her if the teachers/staff could stop giving the students candy for rewards/motivation, etc. My kids have been back in school for 2 days so far and have been given licorice and ice cream in class. This is such a bad example and it's bad for their health and their teeth.

Also, the other kids bring so much junk food for their lunches, that I end up getting pressured by my kids to send junk as well. I "forgot" to send dessert last week (my kids don't eat dessert after lunch at home, why should they at school?) and sure enough my kids felt deprived because everyone else had desserts and junk food packed for them. My older son has a friend whose mother is very health oriented and my son tells me that his friend buys candy bars at school every day with his own money without his mother knowing. He'd probably end up eating better if his mom found a healthier dessert to pack, but of course she doesn't even know that he's doing this.

Drug education starts here in the second grade and is a very big deal. By the time the kids are in 4th grade, they are knowledgeable about crack cocaine, addictions, etc. (we live in a semi-rural area - drugs are not a huge concern at the elementary school level), but they are taught very little nutrition information. The biggest thing they learn is that they earn candy for good behavior, tests, homework done, etc.

PE is an hour a week I think for elementary, and only 1/2 the school year at the middle school level.

This whole issue is so aggravating!! x(

Erica

 

[Jenne]

Erica, great point about drug education... when I was in school, we learned everything about drugs, everything about avoiding pregnancy and AIDS, a heck of a lot about alcoholism and smoking, and literally nothing about nutrition and exercise. It was frustrating to me then and it's still frustrating. I was raised by a parent whose idea of dinner was a bag of potato chips and a Diet Coke... although he failed me nutritionally, it would have been nice to have the school take up the slack (especially in a class called "health.") My nutritional habits have improved, but I think if I could have learned about nutrition in "health" class, it would have helped.

 

[EricaH]

I don't see how they can teach nutrition in health class the way they shovel the candy out. Last year, each child in my son's 2nd grade class was required to bring in 100 pieces of candy for the 100th day of school. 21 kids in the class - 2,100 pieces of candy!! The teacher was handing out the candy all day long to the kids for good test grades, good behavior, etc. It made me so mad!

Maybe I'm just naive, but I think the drug education is way too involved at such a young age. My 5th grader came home with a workbook with problems like, "John is addicted to crack cocaine - how can you help him?". I would much rather see the curriculum focus on nutrition, health and exercise. The drug education could come after the kids learn respect for their bodies and how to take care of themselves - a logical progression to me.

Oh, my MIL is one of those people who think Sunny Delight is a healthy food also!

Erica

 

[Bobbi]

It does seem intrusive but if the intention is to identify children at risk for obesity, AND they have a plan to help the kids overcome it, I am all for it. Educate kids when young and they pass it on to their parents, who may not be aware and it helps everyone! I find the supermarket to be a nightmare. My diet is quite clean but when I take my kids to the store, it is scary. We buy more junk and it is mostly the sugary processed stuff that is pitched to them on tv. So more power to schools that want to help identify and, more importantly, overcome, this dreadful problem!
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi

 

[Stargazer]

A law like this has the built in assumption that BMI is correct, scientifically proven and applies to everyone equally. It also assumes every measurement will be done identically and accurately. It is intrusive to the student and a ridiculous burden to levy on the school record keeping system.

JMHO.
-joy

 

[Jane P]

Kids don't always have control of what they eat even if they get health classes. I was raised in a family where the eating was very disorganized. I think my Mom resented having to cook, and had no imagination concerning food. Fast food was fine with her as long as it kept us quiet, fed, and out of her hair. That's the state in many homes today. Single Mom's especially are exhausted, and don't have the time to plan meals or the money to buy healthy foods that just go bad in the refrigerator.

I would like to see high schools teach meal planning, shopping, and light cooking to all students, not just girls, because I think lack of skills in this area is one of the main reasons why so many eat so poorly. We all have to eat, so it seems we should all know a bit about preparing food because most of us will have to do it at some point in our lives.

As for the BMI thing, I think there are far too many exceptions for this to be considered an accurate measurement. Also piling on the guilt does not seem to me to motivate most people to change their behavoir.

 

[sblordita]

I, too, went through a period of time (5th grade through 6th grade) where I started menstruating and I developed very quickly and very much, gaining a little extra weight in the process. I thought I was a gigantic, fat slob! I was already emotionally torn a little, and the LAST thing I would have ever needed was to see my report card and be shown that I was officially one of the "fattest" people in the class. By the 7th grade, I was back to my "old" self again, hormones calm and no complexes made.

I understand the system wanting to do SOMETHING to help out, but you are all right when you say they need to look at what they are doing themselves to contribute to obesity. Those school lunches were horrible, greasy, and completely lacking nutrition. My mom worked in a school lunchroom for years and made sure to pack our lunches at home every day. Physical Education classes were a joke, and I remember our P.E. teacher being overweight herself and not being able to do 1 pushup! If they want to do something, they should take it upon themselves to change a little and try to come up with something a little more creative than "tattling" on the children.

Sara