The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Sends Parents “Fat Letters”

A letter comes in from your child's school. You're thinking, "Tardy? Misbehaving? Poor Grades? How about, your child is obese! Quite frankly, we as parents just cannot know everything that's going on with our kids. Sometimes it takes an outsider to point things out to us. We all love our children very much and we want nothing but the best for them, including their health. It appears that this is what they hope to accomplish.

It seems that some parents completely agree. Some praise the fact that our school officials are stepping up to open parents eyes to the harm they are doing by allowing their children to be so unhealthy. Some say that letting your child become obese is neglectful, and borderline child abuse.

Other parents are crying foul starting a debate on the government's role in children's health. In Massachusetts a child's body mass index is measured regularly. This number indicates body fat, and the number is determined by a child's weight and height. Children's classifications are; underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese. Those children in the 95th percentile are classified as obese and a letter is sent home. Is this good policy? What do you think?