Arkansas School Nurses’ Role in Statewide Assessment of Body Mass Index to Screen for Overweight Children and Adolescents

Abstract

National surveys that have tracked weight and physical activity in the United States for more than 40 years have shown a continuing increase in the number of overweight children and adolescents. Overweight children and adolescents are showing an increase in diseases related to overweight: Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and orthopedic and respiratory conditions. Overweight children are also likely to become obese adults. This article describes Arkansas’s efforts to connect with families through schools to prevent or reduce overweight in children. Arkansas school nurses measured the heights and weights of more than 400,000 public school students during the 2003–2004 school year. A detailed protocol for accurate measurement of students is provided.