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American Morning

The Big Question: Should Schools Decide if Kids Are Overweight?

Aired March 25, 2002 - 09:48   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The big question this hour: should schools decide if kids are overweight? One Pennsylvania school district is sending letters home, telling some parents their kids are fat. Officials with the East Penn school district say the idea is to encourage parents to change their child's eating habits, and help them get more exercise. But some parents think school officials have overstepped their bounds.

Joining us now from Philadelphia, Lisa Lechmanik, who happens to be a school parent. Also joining us, Dr. George Ziolkowski, the director of pupil personnel service with the East Penn district.

Good morning to both of you. Welcome.

So, Dr. Ziolkowski, was this letter sent to all students in the district?

GEORGE ZIOLKOWSKI, EAST PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT: No, not at all, and it wasn't sent to students sent to the parents of students. And only those through our screening that we do. We have a health- mandated screening on height and weight. Based on that, we took a body mass index, and we sent directly to the parents the results of that, which gave indications over either overweight, underweight, or risk of overweight.

ZAHN: What were you concerns when you wrote this letter and decided ultimately to sent off to parents?

ZIOLKOWSKI: The concerns were probably exactly what happened. Our concerns were that people would get into the flashpoint of body image and so forth, and not our (ph) intent here. This is a health issue, and we are trying to be proactive in a health issue.

What we are telling parents is that overweight and underweight in children can lead to a very serious diseases which are preventable.

ZAHN: And, Lisa, would you acknowledge that's important information for a parents to be aware of?

LISA LECHMANIK, PARENT: I agree that the information as far as the health concerns go with being overweight is an important thing to know. However, I just think that the district should have given the parent a head's up that this is what was going to be coming home to them, and letting them know exactly what they were doing.

How insulted were some parents, Lisa, to receive this letter?

LECHMANIK: I think quite a few felt like it was an affront on them, telling them that they weren't taking care of their children in a proper way. I did not feel that way, because I keep in contact with my son's doctor, but I think that some parents felt that they were being targeted.

ZAHN: But, realistically, Dr. Ziolkowski, when you look at the statistics, and I guess they vary anywhere from 13-24 percent of kids in this country are obese, where else would you start if you didn't start here?

ZIOLKOWSKI: I really don't know. You know, because what be have done with these mandated screening for years, we take the height and weight and we put in a drawer. And it really took the nurses a year to convince me that we really had to start doing something about this. And basically, all we're doing is giving results to parents. We're offering them to come and talk to them. We offer them materials. We're also telling them, maybe they should make talk to a health care provider, because there could be some underlying health problem because this child is either underweight or overweight.

ZAHN: And I know, Lisa, you said that some parents were upset because they were caught off guard by the letter perhaps insulted by it, but what else should the parents do to address the issue of their kids being overweight? If the school not doing it, and the school is advising them to carry on and have counseling after that, that's not a horrible thing, is it?

LECHMANIK: I don't think so. I think most parents are -- take their children for regular checkups. So I would think most of them are on top of it with their doctors. Some, however, may not have the resources or the knowledge to be able to know, you know, how to change those eating habits.

ZAHN: So what is your single biggest objection, Lisa, to this letter having gone out? I know you were personally not offended by it, but you certainly understand the criticism of other parents.

LECHMANIK: Absolutely. I think a lot of stress now is put on the body image. I mean, anything you see on TV, the models are tall, and they're thin and they're gorgeous. I mean, that's what is perceived as desirable, and especially in the adolescence. You get a letter home like this, they're already worried about the way they look, and then they get a letter from their schools confirming that they, in fact, are overweight.

ZAHN: And, Dr. Ziolkowski, I know you've heard the criticism directed at schools across the country who are providing a lot of sugary sodas in their vending machines. Isn't that a good place to address problem as well?

ZIOLKOWSKI: Absolutely. I don't think that the schools can stand back and not have any part in terms of remedying this or the intervention. And I know in our own school district, Paula, and this year, we intend on pulling people together, our food service providers, our health and wellness and our health people, people from the community, and see as a school, where do we go from here? We as others are not immune in this problem, and we or others can have a part in remedying this, and making it better for all of our kids.

ZAHN: Lisa Lechmanik, and George Ziolkowski, we very appreciate both of your perspectives this morning. Thank you very much for joining us.

LECHMANIK: Thank you.

ZIOLKOWSKI: You're very welcome.

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