Brickbat: Drop a Few Pounds

WPBF

Charley Cadac, 6 years old, is 4 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 60 pounds, and the school nurse at Florida's Palm Beach Gardens Elementary School sent home a letter with her saying Charley is overweight, upsetting her and her mother. The school system says the letter is part of a state-mandated program to monitor child obesity.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

BMI is rock solid science. Don't blame science for your lack of self control, fatty.

[d3x / dt3]

Another life saved.

[ColonelEngineer]

She has "typical kid" written all over her. How is it 2015 and BMI is still treated as golden truth? Reminds me of my last doctor visit. The nurse couldn't reconcile that I'm 5'10 and 290 (balls deep in the "morbidly obese" region) but my BP was 120/70. Yeah, I could afford to drop a few but I can still see my toes AND junk when I look down. /rant Schools are way too involved in students lives. This is ridiculous.

[Copernicus]

Damn, unless you're a middle linebacker, that's sounds like a fucked up weight, and even then, it sounds like a fucked up weight.

But the kid seems just fine.

[ColonelEngineer]

I actually did play football a few years ago haha Offensive tackle. I was at Nose Guard for a bit but the QB bitched about me hitting too hard.

While I admit to having room to drop some pounds (love handles), it's mainly bone structure. Rib cage alone is 44" in circumference and I can't wear smaller than a 38 in jeans because my pelvic bones stick out. "Brick shit house," "raging bull," and "hoss" have been frequent adjectives used. Lightest I've ever been was 215 and even then, my body measurements barely changed.

[Steve G]

Yeah, but you don't get to the weight you're at without insulin resistance and that's where the risk lies. You may have lucked out w/ a resilient BP (no doubt because you've had a lifetime to adapt to your 'set point'), but I wouldn't be surprised if you had some other indicators lurking under the hood.

[Lady Bertrum]

How were your triglycerides and insulin levels? Do yourself a favor and look into LCHF.

http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

[Steve G]

...and get an NMR test done...

http://www.liposcience.com/nmr-lipoprofile-test

this'll be the future of lipid screening

[ColonelEngineer]

Had it checked last year. Everything was normal. LDL was normal but HDL needed to go up a little. Doc said to get some more activity and maintain my diet. Beyond that, I'm on the right track.

[Steve G]

HDL needed to go up a little

could be a sign. If your Triglyceride/HDL ratio is above 3.5, I'd dig deeper. Most GP docs don't have a clue but to spout the AHA party line; hence half of heart attack victims have 'normal' cholesterol levels. ..just from one colonel to another.

[ColonelEngineer]

I would need to confirm against the numbers they told me. It was about this time last year though.

I think we're different kinds of colonels... and I'm willing to bet yours is the more respectable kind.

[Steve G]

more respectable kind

don't bet on it!

[Lady Bertrum]

Good to hear.

Did you have your insulin checked?

[ColonelEngineer]

I'm sure they did but I can't remember for sure. It's all on a paper somewhere in a pile of shit from work. It was a biometric screening that was optional. Earned us a $200 health insurance credit. I'm fully aware of changes I need to make. Some are just out of my hand right now... like stress and sleep schedule.

[Robert]

I tried Atkins induction over a decade ago. Meat & cheese ad lib, CHO under 20g/day. I started gaining wt. at an alarming rate, so I quit that fast. Plus, even though my tendency is toward loose stools, I became very constipated, even though I ate plenty of celery & lettuce.

[Robert]

If you see junk when you look down, why are you standing in refuse?

[ColonelEngineer]

....I see what you did there

[Suthenboy]

After the nudge comes the push. We all know what comes after the push.

The broccoli mandate approaches.

[BigT]

41 objects

[Steve G]

This is either recycled or exactly like another case about 6 mos back...

[Florida Man]

Sure the state of Florida can send home BMI letters, but when I put up a sign at the local pool that says "NO FAT CHICKS", I'm the jerk.

[Scarecrow Repair]

What Would John Say?

[Steve G]

We noted the BMI may be high or whatever, and it's a recommendation to the parents," spokesman Tim O'Connor said

See? That's what you want in a spokesman, the ability to sprinkle 'or whatever' in a sentence to make them seem like they relate to today's young people. /s

[wadair]

I understand the concern over obesity, and childhood obesity in particular, but this really isn't an issue of concern for the school systems.

It infuriates me when I consider the thought processes that go on within the decision compounds of these schools. If they were staffed with healthy, empathetic healthcare professionals, I'd be a bit less irritated. But these decision makers are likely no more healthy than the average American, giving them no room to talk. For this reason alone they should point their crooked fingers at themselves and leave the health of the students in the hands of their parents. But they don't. And this is what infuriates me.

How is it that schools believe that they are the arbiters of all things important in the life of these kids? Just how do they come to the conclusion that it is they who are so blessed, knowledgeable and noble that they should decide how children should be raised? When I try to answer these kinds of questions I get even more infuriated. Think I need a drink.

[BigT]

Easy fix. On parents night have all the parents fill out fitness reports on the teachers and send them to the principal and local school board or maybe to the local newspaper. That'll teach em.

[Rich]

Excellent.

[wadair]

Great idea. Especially since these adults are examples to the children they wish to propagandize influence.

[sarcasmic]

Just how do they come to the conclusion that it is they who are so blessed, knowledgeable and noble that they should decide how children should be raised?

They're government. Once people join government they lose all self interest and magically become knowledgeable and noble in everything. They are Authority, and they know best. And if you object, the cops and courts will always side with them. Again, because they're government and they know best. Even when they don't. Especially when they don't.

[Almanian!]

Government is just the things we agree to do, by force, under the threat of a gun barrel. That's all.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Laura Cacdac said Charley overheard her on the phone, and her daughter's first question was, "Do they think I'm fat? Is there something wrong with me?"

Yes, Charley, you need to squat more.

[Steve G]

+1 Warty

[Rich]

"We noted the BMI may be high or whatever, and it's a recommendation to the parents," spokesman Tim O'Connor said.

"Of course, we may be high or whatever ourselves. And who, like, names their daughter 'Charley', anyway?"

[Ted S.]

4'2" and 60 lbs. is bad even by the fucked-up BMI standards? Isn't it a BMI well under 20?

[Steve G]

Yeah, I'm not seeing it. My son is past 60# and even though he's 4'6", he's scrawny. Even if I stuck him in a vice, pushing my son down to 4'2" wouldn't make him chunky by any stretch...

[Bones]

Charley is the only one whose mom made this news. But if this girl at that size got a letter home, tons of other kids did, too. Because she is the size of a normal child, and presumably that school has a lot of normal sized children. And probably over 50% of teachers and administrators are overweight.

[Joshua]

I'm sure they send notes to teachers' homes.

[steve walsh]

The likely hypocrisy of these nanny-staters is irrelevant.

1. BMI is an unreliable measurement for individuals

[steve walsh]

Hmmm... apparently the less than symbol causes the rest if the text to be deleted.

The likely hypocrisy of these nanny-staters is irrelevant.

1. BMI is an unreliable measurement for individuals that are less than five feet tall.
2. Public school officials are unqualified to make health assessments of students.

I suggest the parents send a note back, to wit: F*ck Off. Strong memo to follow.