On its website, WFLD-TV Chicago reports students “at some schools across the country will be adding another test to their agendas: One that measures their body mass index” (BMI) as “school officials are taking a stand against childhood obesity.”
“Finally!” is all I can say! However, you don’t just want your child’s BMI ..  you also need to know their BMI percentile AND their blood pressure percentile. Here’s how you can find out this critical information and why you need to know:
According to information “from the Centers for Disease Control, the percentage of obese youth grew threefold between 1980 and 2004, up from seven percent to 19 percent.”
Although “many medical professionals support the measures, some parents have perceive the weight grades as crossing the line between the personal and the public.”
In my book, SuperSized Kids: How to protect your child from the obesity threat, I recommend that all schools send parents their child’s BMI and BP with each report card — along with a notation as to whether the numbers are “passing” or “failing.”
If your child’s school has not done so, you can check out how your child is doing as far as their weight and their blood pressure. All you need is their age, gender, and a recent height, weight, and blood pressure:

• Calculate your Child or Teen’sBMI Percentile here.
• Calculate your Child or Teen’s Blood Pressure Percentile here.

Since we know that childhood obesity can reduce a child’s life expectancy by 8 – 20 years, it’s past time for schools to inform parents if their child is at risk or not.
And, for kids at risk, parents need help teaching their children make highly healthy decisions about sleep, exercise, and nutrition can be lifesaving for them. If you’d like some help doing this, consider getting a copy of my book, SuperSized Kids: How to protect your child from the obesity threat.

The softcover (regularly $12.99) is on sale for $1.99 here and the hardcover (regularly $22.99) on sale for $3.99 here.