Unintended consequences
Feb. 9th, 2007 08:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
birdwatcherLITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas, the first state to send home obesity report cards, may drop the plan or weaken it.
The cards are intended to warn parents of overweight kids' health risks.
But Gov. Mike Beebe said the school weigh-ins and report cards have "a lot of negative, unintended consequences" and hurt some children's self-esteem. He favors letting parents drop out of the program more easily and wants the state to test children less often.
Since Arkansas adopted its school-based anti-obesity program, California, Florida and Pennsylvania have launched similar efforts.
The cards are intended to warn parents of overweight kids' health risks.
But Gov. Mike Beebe said the school weigh-ins and report cards have "a lot of negative, unintended consequences" and hurt some children's self-esteem. He favors letting parents drop out of the program more easily and wants the state to test children less often.
Since Arkansas adopted its school-based anti-obesity program, California, Florida and Pennsylvania have launched similar efforts.
