caseywhitcher
New member
This following article is so backwards, this lady is complaining that by testing the fat of her children they are being convinced to go on unhealthy diets, so.. rather than lobying to have health education and proper nutrition taught to students, she's lobying to have their fitness not evaluated, that should keep them healthy!
Does your school use calipers to measure your child's body fat?
In the September, 1993 issue of our newsletter, Working Together, ANAD reported on the practice in schools of using body fat measurement to determine the fitness of students. Apparently, not much has changed since then.
The fat calipers/skin fold test was actually developed for use with triathletes, 25 years of age or older, according to the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis. The problem is that, for many years, this measurement has been used by school districts around the country to measure children in high schools, junior highs, and even grade schools. The result is that youngsters, who should be provided with adequate nutrition for their growing bodies, are instead going on diets because they think they are fat!
ANAD Resource person and a concerned mother, Patti Bahnick, is doing something about this. When Patti's nine-year-old daughter told her about the fat testing that had been administered nine months earlier, her daughter had already begun to eliminate breakfast, bedtime snacks, and a significant portion of lunches and dinners from her diet. After discovering how common this reaction to the fat testing was among her daughter's classmates, Patti consulted with ANAD President, Vivian Meehan, and did some additional research on the subject. Armed with that research, she was able to convince officials in her own school district to eliminate fat testing. As PTA president of her local school, Patti presented her research at the Illinois state PTA convention, where a resolution was passed pledging to work toward the elimination of fat caliper testing throughout the state.
In addition to working toward implementation of the resolution at the state level, Patti, with ANAD's help, is seeking to present the same resolution for the consideration of the national PTA at its convention in June, 2001. In order to do so, she is required to present adequate and substantial documentation as to the use of fat testing in schools in all 50 states.
You can help! If you have information that the fat calipers/skin fold test or other fat testing is being used in your school, please obtain documentation as to what testing is being done and its repercussions on the students in your district. Specify grade levels or student age and type of fat testing done. If your school district has eliminated fat testing, please send documentation on why this was done. To get additional information on this issue, contact ANAD or e-mail Patti at [email protected]. You can also check out Patti's website, www.FatTestingStories.org.
Does your school use calipers to measure your child's body fat?
In the September, 1993 issue of our newsletter, Working Together, ANAD reported on the practice in schools of using body fat measurement to determine the fitness of students. Apparently, not much has changed since then.
The fat calipers/skin fold test was actually developed for use with triathletes, 25 years of age or older, according to the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis. The problem is that, for many years, this measurement has been used by school districts around the country to measure children in high schools, junior highs, and even grade schools. The result is that youngsters, who should be provided with adequate nutrition for their growing bodies, are instead going on diets because they think they are fat!
ANAD Resource person and a concerned mother, Patti Bahnick, is doing something about this. When Patti's nine-year-old daughter told her about the fat testing that had been administered nine months earlier, her daughter had already begun to eliminate breakfast, bedtime snacks, and a significant portion of lunches and dinners from her diet. After discovering how common this reaction to the fat testing was among her daughter's classmates, Patti consulted with ANAD President, Vivian Meehan, and did some additional research on the subject. Armed with that research, she was able to convince officials in her own school district to eliminate fat testing. As PTA president of her local school, Patti presented her research at the Illinois state PTA convention, where a resolution was passed pledging to work toward the elimination of fat caliper testing throughout the state.
In addition to working toward implementation of the resolution at the state level, Patti, with ANAD's help, is seeking to present the same resolution for the consideration of the national PTA at its convention in June, 2001. In order to do so, she is required to present adequate and substantial documentation as to the use of fat testing in schools in all 50 states.
You can help! If you have information that the fat calipers/skin fold test or other fat testing is being used in your school, please obtain documentation as to what testing is being done and its repercussions on the students in your district. Specify grade levels or student age and type of fat testing done. If your school district has eliminated fat testing, please send documentation on why this was done. To get additional information on this issue, contact ANAD or e-mail Patti at [email protected]. You can also check out Patti's website, www.FatTestingStories.org.
