Parental actions for child health three years after Arkansas initiated BMI reports

Several states and school districts have started measuring children's body mass index (BMI) and reporting that information to parents. However, there is little empirical evidence of the impact of BMI reports on parental actions regarding child health. Following the initiation of BMI measurement and reporting in Arkansas, annual statewide surveys have asked parents of Arkansas public school children to report their child's height and weight and recent activities related to weight control. BMI was calculated and categorized into overweight/at-risk of overweight (OW) or healthy weight/underweight (HW) groups based on CDC age-gender BMI percentiles at baseline (Year 1) and Year 3. Multivariate regression analyses assessed differences in parental actions for OW and HW groups, adjusted for child's age and gender and parent's race. Proportions of parents in each group seeking professional help, putting child on a diet, having child take diet pills/herbal supplements, or increasing child's physical activity did not differ significantly across years, after adjustment for child's age and gender and parent's race. However, results revealed that in both years more parents of OW than HW children reported seeking professional help, putting child on a diet, and increasing physical activity. Possible explanations for the lack of observed behavioral change will be explored, with emphasis placed on implications for future program efforts to achieve the desired parental behavior changes.