Schools in 19 states are weighing students and sending reports to their parents with their body mass index (BMI) and other measurements, reports say.
Kids have started calling the reports "fat letters."
Many families and health experts have started pushing back against the reports-slash-fat letters, arguing they could damage the children’s self-esteem.
Proponents say the practice is actually an effective progress report and a tool for establishing whether a student is healthy or unhealthy physically.
A person’s BMI is calculated by dividing their weight by the square of their height, then applied to their age and gender and measured against peers.
BMI is the primary measurement used to determine if a person is considered overweight and obese, a condition these 19 states are trying to reduce.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one-third of children and adolescents are considered overweight or obese.
These children are believed to at increased risk for a variety of health problems, including asthma, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
None of which are good, obviously, but is it really a school's place to call attention to it in this manner, evaluating BMI alongside students' academic skills?
Fat letters: Right or wrong?
