The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Joseph Carter
03/13/08
Childhood obesity is a serious issue. It requires the concerted efforts of parents, schools, health care professionals, business and industry to tackle and reverse the trends we see, not only in our state, but also across the nation.
While other states across the South have slowed or even stopped the growth of childhood obesity, in Georgia we have done very little. Childhood obesity is now a legitimate public health issue, one on which I began working four years ago. Our research in 2005 led to the introduction of the Student Health and Fitness Act of 2006 (SB 474).
That legislation used scientific data to establish the appropriate amount of physical education instruction for students in grades K-5. In addition, the legislation simply asked middle schools to develop a plan on how they might — given other challenges and mandates placed upon them — provide the necessary level of physical activity as recognized by leading cardiovascular experts.
While much attention has centered on the body-mass-index testing issue, in my mind that has always been a peripheral part of the legislation. The bill is drafted in such a way that any height and weight measurement must be conducted in a confidential setting and in a way that respects the privacy of each student. The intent of this legislation was never to belittle or embarrass anyone.
That being said, the goal is to create an environment so that schools themselves can determine how they can make their students healthier. SB 506 requires that the statewide physical education co-ordinator gather and distribute to local systems best practices and successful approaches for dealing with this issue. Schools, with input from parents, decide which approach is best.