Should your child’s Body Mass Index (BMI) be included on their report card? According to the current issue of Redbook, several states have elected to include BMI’s on students’ report card in an effort to fight the rising childhood obesity epidemic. Your BMI is the ratio of weight to height and is used to determine a person’s healthy weight.
I’m usually pretty much for or against an issue like this but I have to say this is one time I’m sort of riding the fence. I can understand both sides of the issue and could be persuaded to go either way. Although I am leaning toward not including it. If your child goes to the doctor regularly, his doctor has probably already calculated his BMI. If there is an issue, your child’s doctor has probably already spoken to you about it and hopefully you have made steps to assure that your child loses weight. So do we really need the school to tell us our child has a weight problem?
As was pointed out in the Redbook article, adding a child’s BMI to his report card might actually do more harm than good because it could become another reason for kids to tease each other. Also, if the schools are simply going to report the BMI and not do anything to help the kids get healthier then what’s the point. Many schools have cut out physical education classes or significantly cut the number of hours offered. This certainly adds to the obesity epidemic. Also, what about the food being served in the cafeteria, how healthy is it? Most school districts have improved their menu selections but we still have a long way to go.
I think I would definitely take issue with including the BMI if the school didn’t offer any solution to the problem. If they are simply dropping the problem in the lap of the parents, then I don’t think it should be included. There’s a saying, “You’re either part of the problem, or part of the solution.” In the case of childhood obesity, parents, schools and the kids themselves should work together to solve the problem. Perhaps, sending a letter to the parents would be a better idea than including it on the child’s report card; a record that will follow the child into adulthood.
What you think- should BMI be included on a child’s report card?
See also:
Childhood Obesity Linked to Gender In Sweden
Schools Battle Childhood Obesity
Shaq Takes a Shot at Helping Overweight Kids