No evidence of unintended consequences following passage of Arkansas obesity legislation

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than a third of children and two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese and that these proportions have been increasing dramatically over recent decades. This trend, now considered to be an epidemic, has led a number of state legislatures and school districts to consider regular measurement of body mass index (BMI) for school children, in an attempt to stimulate action in families and communities. Many, however, worry that the increased emphasis on weight, while well-intentioned, will yield negative consequences, such as increased teasing, embarrassment of students, and unhealthy weight-control practices. Arkansas Act 1220 of 2003 mandated annual BMI measurements for all public school students in the state and the reporting of those measurements to parents. Data from an ongoing evaluation of the effects of Act 1220 will be presented, suggesting that none of these concerns have occurred in Arkansas. In fact, reports of weight-based teasing are reduced from 12% in year 1 (baseline) to 6% in year 3, and the percentage of adolescents reporting recent use of diet pills is down from 6% at baseline to 2% in year 3. Results from the analysis of characteristics of students engaging in potentially unhealthy weight control behaviors will also be presented.