As I strolled through Pinterest trying to find "healthy" treat ideas for my students, I found myself flustered more than ever with another imposing position our government has taken! The days where parents (not school systems and their employees) were actually held accountable for their children's character, discipline, responsibility, and now DIET have perished.
I'm not one who declares my political opinions in a such a candid and public manner, however, having this privilege I think I WILL use this opportunity to share how discontented and agitated I am with Michelle Obama's "Let's Move Campaign” and schools’ obligatory reporting of children’s BMI scores.
According to a study done by Vanderbilt Law School Health Law Society and Vanderbilt Center for Health Policy, hospitalizations for eating disorders increased by 119% between 1999 and 2006 for children under twelve years old. 119% under 12 years old! I’m not surprised as I often hear my fourth grade students (who have no need to lose weight) name the caloric values of their snacks as if they were reciting the Flag Salute!
Shouldn’t every student have equal access to food and be able to engage in an array of physical activities regardless of their body weight or BMI? Is thinness the First Lady’s measure of health? Should my son who has inherited my metabolism (*authentic sigh) face more challenges to maintain weight, rather than lose because of food selections that have been pre-approved to meet low caloric standards? Should hundreds of thousands of children be exposed to measures that are encouraging body preoccupation and disordered eating at such young ages? Shouldn’t overall wellness, not weight loss, shame, or thinness be the goal? As if pet-food grade USDA approved school meals are any better than a package of Cheetos!
Okay, time for me to "move" off the couch and head towards the refrigerator and eat whatever the hell I want! I'm hungry!
~March 2013
