Weekly **HOT TOPIC** Discusion! JOIN!
Find a Conversation
Weekly **HOT TOPIC** Discusion! JOIN!
| Wed, 01-10-2007 - 10:31pm |
On the news today I caught a story that is causing major debate!
| Wed, 01-10-2007 - 10:31pm |
On the news today I caught a story that is causing major debate!
Pages
There is a school district in my state that sends out these letters. The letters also contain information on eye tests, hearing test, and something else. The letter are mailed, and everyone receives one.
Personally, I don't understand why parents would be outraged. The letter says that your child falls outside the normal range, and you should consult a doctor. If you know about it, and are doing something to correct the issue, I still can't understand why you would be hurt.
My daughter isn't over weight, but that is only because I have been managing her weight since she was very young. I make she eats well, and gets a lot of exercise. Based on the genetics on my husband's side, she needs to be careful.
We have received these letters the last two years.
I believe it is now a state law requirement for our schools to send them out.
They are mailed home addressed to the parent, and a letter goes to everyone regardless of "score".
On the form, they have ranges 0-5th percentile is underweight. 5-85th percentile is normal. 85-95th percentile is in danger or becoming obese. 95 and above is obese. First of all, I want to know why 5-15th percentile isn't labeled as in danger of becoming underweight?? That bothered me right off, the scale shows a bias and it would make more sense if it were even on either end.
Second of all, the whole thing is based on PERCENTILES - - which makes no sense to me.
If you want to have an actual BMI cutoff, it would make more sense.
But who cares where she falls in relation to everyone else?
I want to know where she falls in relation to a healthy ideal.
Last year's Meredith's showed her at the 86th percentile - so ours was a 'warning letter' by one percentile point. This year she is not - she was done somewhere in the 70's. Frankly - - I have no idea why. She's the same kid with the same basic body build she has always had. She is fit muscular and healthy, though not a rail thin waif type. Both years I've thrown it in the trash without sharing the information with her.
Even if she were overweight, I frankly have no idea what I would do to change that. She eats only fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread, no-fat milk, chicken and fish. She eats no dressings or sauces on anything. Her basic body build and genetics are always going to have her 'solid', but she is in no way shape or form overweight.
I don't disagree that truly obese kids have a budding future health problem.
But, I don't see what benefit is gained from teaching perfectly healthy pre-teen children to have a poor body image either.
Edited 1/11/2007 7:31 pm ET by merimom96
Our district started doing this last year. They started with grades 1-3. Now this year, they covered all grades, K-12. I HATE it. The biggest problem I have with it is they send home this letter with a bunch of percentiles and numbers, check off the range your child is in, and offer NO education along with it. For many many many parents, these numbers are not understood and the whole BMI thing is meaningless (we have a diverse population here).
The second biggest problem I have with it is that the numbers are only as accurate as the person inputting the information into the computer. Last year, they got my DS7's info mixed up (put his height in the weight section and vice versa). This year, they did the same thing to my best friend's DS14 and totally messed up the results.
The third biggest problem I have with it is that they feel that they have to stick their noses in this problem of childhood obesity, yet they continue to serve the crappiest, junkiest, most nutritionally inbalanced school lunches I've ever seen! High in carbs, and yeah, let's pass off juice as a fruit. Grrrr!!!
My youngest got his letter this year, and it said he was at risk for being obese. I nearly fell of my chair when I read it. He's a tiny thing...always has been the smallest in his class. I was so irritated, I brought the letter with me to the dr. when we went in for an allergy appt. She ran his weight and height herself and said he's FINE. There are many more things to take into account with a BMI apparantly. So this school letter got my panties all in a twist for nothing. I've been tempted to tell the school next year NOT to test my kids. I think I still might follow through. I can't see that they can do it without my permission. I guess I'll have to check into it.
Just my 2c. (and yes, I do believe we have an obesity problem in this country. But the problem is that of the parents, not the schools.)
Marcy
Pages