Should schools send home ‘fat letters’?

There's a study out saying almost all parents of overweight children are delusional in their belief that their child is fine. You can read Joe Cutter's report on this study here. This story reminded me of the fat shame letters sent home by some schools; a warning to parents that their kid is falling outside a healthy norm. While some parents are aghast at this practice, many health experts support it.

“No parent would be proud to receive a letter stating their child is in the overweight or obese category, but the awareness and acknowledgment that he or she could have a weight problem begins the process of a multidisciplinary approach to change. It is time to put aside this pride for the future of our children’s health,” says Michael R. Flaherty, a pediatrician in Massachusetts.

New Jersey does not have a clear policy on this, but our State Board of Education Administrative Code requires annual height and weight screenings for each student in kindergarten through grade 12. I certainly have heard of some school districts sending home those obesity warning letters here in the Garden State. Is it the school district's business? Health measures in our public schools isn't new. Over the past century our schools have performed dental checks, screened vision, screened hearing, even vaccinated children. Is this different only because it is embarrassing to us? Is that a good enough reason to not do it? Let us know what you think.