Screening students bmis for individual health assessment purposes is more controversial and requires schools to address privacy and parent communication among other issues. To reduce the risk of stigmatizing students letters can be sent to all parents. Body mass index bmi measurement in schools safeguard 1. Select compute bmi and your bmi will appear below. Body mass index bmi measurement in schools safeguard 7. Student bmi results can be sent to parents by secure means such as by mail and not brought home by students.
Body mass index bmi measurement in schools across the country some states and districts require that schools regularly assess students heights and weights. Enter your weight and height using standard or metric measures. 12 before the program begins. School nurses are usually. Body mass index bmi at school gathering students bmis in the aggregate can help schools monitor the success of obesity prevention efforts. 1 measurements are more likely to be accurate and.
Accurate measurements are those that correspond to the youths actual height and weight while reliable measurements are those that produce consistent results when they are repeated. Body mass index bmi measurement in schools safeguard 10. Do not use the actual bmi for age percentiles of the students as a basis for evaluating student or teacher performance eg in physical education or health education class. States measure students body mass index bmi with many communicating that information to parents through a bmi report card or notification letter. Body mass index bmi measurement in schools safeguard 2. The bmi is the ratio of weight to height squared.
Abstract backgroundschool based body mass index bmi measurement has attracted much attention across the nation from researchers school officials legislators and the media as a potential approach to address obesity among youth. Calculate your body mass index. Ensure that there is an appropriate process in place for obtaining parental consent for measuring students height and weight. Body mass index bmi is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. 12 to avoid giving the impression that a diagnosis has been made the letters to parents about students. Provide all parents with a clear and respectful explanation of the bmi results and a list of appropriate follow up actions.
Ensure that staff members who measure height and weight have the appropriate expertise and training to obtain accurate and reliable results and minimize the potential for stigmatization. As the united states continues to search for answers to the growing problem of obesity among children and adolescents much attention has focused on body mass index bmi measurement programs in schools. Introduce the program to parents guardians students and school staff. To help minimize negative response from the public programs need to involve parents or guardians early in the planning stages. There are two types of bmi measurement programs and each serves a specific purpose.