Question:
Obesity letters sent to parents

Hi Everyone: I just read an article about an elementary school district in, I think it was Erie, PA, where parents of obese children were sent letters stating that their children were obese, they must be checked by a pediatrician, childhood obesity was becoming epidemic among children, etc., etc. First of all, I would not have had to deal with that because both of kids have always been thin. But if I had, I would be quite disgruntled. It seems as if the school cafeteria serves the typical cafeteria meals, McDonalds type foods, pizza, mac and cheese and most greasy, non-healthy foods that are profitable. I think the McDonalds lawsuit is outrageous, but it is difficult to assert parental control when children are in school. I know I always packed both of my kid's lunches, but with this wide variety of better tasting food available in this school's cafeteria, it is quite common for kids to throw their stuff from home in the trash. It is good that they are trying to help children with childhood obesity, but I feel if they are going to take this stand, they are responsible for doing their part too. Anyone heard about this?    — Grace H. (posted on November 28, 2002)

November 28, 2002
Grace, I basically agree with you... My child is 4 yrs old and weighs in around 72 lbs , but he is 4 ft tall, his pediatrician explained to me that he is not concerned cause my son's height co ordinates with his weight... I agree that the schools cafeterias do need to start focusing on more nutritional options and get rid of the "crap" profitable or not ... some kid's only chance to get a nutritional meal may be at school and the education system needs to gear up on this and give these kids opurtunity... Now about the letters... I think I would try not to let it get to me, cause I know there are parents out there that may not be aware of what they may be doing to their children by giving them the junk ... heck some parents look as a nutritionally balanced meal as a cheese burger and fries... (fries being the veggie, burger being the meat and cheese being the dairy...) some parents are very uneducated on nutrition, maybe a letter from school may be somewhat of a wake up call... As for my son, believe it or not at his size he hardly ever eats anything at all, we fight and fight to get the child to eat, he refuses to eat anything green (though I always make it available), He won't eat breads... If I'm lucky I get a piece of chees and a slice of ham into him a day (he also refuses to eat pb&j..go figure), I usually give him a cup of carnation choc a day to get in vitamins, but the kid just won't hardly eat anything...
   — Bonnie S.

November 28, 2002
I had not heard of this, but I did read an article in people magazine about overweight children. I beleive there was an morbidly obese little black girl who died in her classroom and the stated cause was an enlarged heart due to her obesity. Maybe the schools are worried about this happening in their school so they sent the letters out? I do beleive cafeteria food should be healthier but it begins at home with parents teaching their children about good food choices. I have two skinny boys (thank God they take after their dad) but I am trying to undo all the bad food habits they learned from watching me.
   — kelly M.

November 28, 2002
I work in an elementary school. Just recently a mother of a 5th grader went to the principal to request that the classroom teacher and the nurse counsel her child, who is obese, about nutrition. Then the parent asked for a pass to the cafeteria so she could take her child her lunch which was from McDonalds. Some parents just don't get it. I know at one time the school offered nutrition classes to parents but I think they were cancelled because of low interest. There is only so much the schools can do but I agree that the menus should be changed.
   — Pamela B.