Legislation that was passed in 2007 will result in weight and body mass indices (BMI) being collected from students throughout the state of New York. Doctors will test the students when they come in for their student health certificates.
"The information will be reported to schools, creating a set of data that will allow health officials to evaluate obesity levels based on geography... The data will be passed on to the state Department of Health unless parents ask to have the information excluded."
A 2004 survey of New York's third-graders found that more than 20 percent were obese. New York is one of 13 states that tracks the BMI of its students. Source: Associated Press
Labels: body_mass_index, legislation