Arkansas Report Card for Weight Seems to Help Some Students
I thought this concept was a very original one, and also one that may help prevent a lot of young people from taking the path of being overweight and making the wrong food choices for their entire lives. Arkansas had implemented, just a few years ago, a system where they would give school students a “report card” on their weight and let them know if they were heading in the wrong direction to nip it in the bud early on, instead of contributing to the rising obesity epidemic here in the US.
And it seems to be boding well with some students, many of whom are taking it seriously and being proactive in starting out on a better diet and beginning exercise regimens so that they can keep their weight in check, as well as curb the extra pounds. The state began the program, which is essentially a tracking program where the state is able to track trends in young people’s weight.
When student’s get on the wrong path, they are told so through this “report card”. Some say it may hurt the child’s self esteem, but I think that in the long run, it is helping that child tremendously and preventing the potential for a lifetime of health troubles associated with being overweight. Overall, the state’s program has been helpful, as shown in the decline of obesity numbers, but the program is currently in jeopardy as weight ins are now less often and the ability to opt out is more readily available.
