More About Government Regulating Healthcare Compliance
Educators promote weighing students
By Jill Zeman
Jun 1, 2006
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This AP story follows up on the letters sent home with report cards to parents of students at Arkansas schools informing them if their children were obese. Since the program began two years ago, there have been positive results, including increases in consultations with pediatricians re weight problems and attendance at fitness classes as well as a decrease in diet pill use by high-schoolers.
The state’s Board of Education guidelines have also resulted in schools prohibiting the use of food as a reward, offering more fruits, vegetables, low-sugar drinks, and low-fat/low-calorie snacks with a concomitant decrease in the use of deep fat fryers.
California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and other states now have similar programs.
Commentary
1. That there has been some follow-up (albeit not well-described in this article) to judge the results of the actions taken (i.e., sending the letters) is heartening and commendable
2. Positive results beg the ethical question of how the state should determine which healthcare behaviors it will enforce, how it will enforce them, and how it will set the standards for that behavior
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