One day last year, Selectman Tracy Watson received a school letter about her son Cameron. It wasn't about his grades or his behavior. It was to inform her and her husband that Cameron was classified as "obese."
"Honestly, I laughed," Watson said. The letter -- part of a state initiative to monitor children's Body Mass Index -- explained BMI standards and encouraged her and her husband to contact their pediatrician.
But the letters have many in town crying foul and have ignited a debate over the government's role in children's health.
Screening for Size
Body Mass Index is a number used to indicate body fat, and the number is determined by a child's weight and height.
Watson's laughter was from surprise. Cameron plays sports and participates in martial arts. He's a member of the North Andover Booster Club wrestling team and the Doughboy Wrestling Club, and he's also a football player. How could he be "obese," and why was his school sending a letter home saying he was?
