PROS AND CONS: OBESITY

          The article I found was on the Huffington Post and it goes in to more detail on the "fat letters". It talked about how the letters were sent home to notify the parents that their child is overweight and it also says that they also sent letters telling them that their child is underweight or at a healthy weight. The letters have good intentions but they seem to be causing more problems than they fix.
          There are multiple problems with the body mass index (BMI) screenings. First, the BMI screenings can sometimes be inaccurate because they don't take into account muscle mass which can affect the weight of a the child. For example, a student named Cam Watson was an active member of the wrestling and football teams but was categorized as obese by the screenings. Second, if other students find out that a classmate received a letter, they may bully him. Bullying is already a problem and these letters might make it more of an issue than it already is. Finally, parents laugh at the letters and might even take offense when their child is called obese. Many arguments are the result of the letters and they seem to be doing more harm than good.
          On the other hand, the Department of Public Health has good intentions when doing the screenings and sending home the letters. Obesity in children has doubled in the last thirty years, according to Centers for Disease Control. The letters have hopes of halting this increase in obesity by drawing attention to the issue. The Department of Public Health has fears of having obese adults who are at risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Even though the letters have good intentions, they may have crossed the line into what is known as "fat shaming".
          In conclusion, the letters have good intentions but come across as offense and an invasion of personal matters. I think they were a good idea and a nice way to address the growing issue but they caused more problems than they fixed.
OLIVE