Background: Evidence for the effectiveness of state-mandated body mass index (BMI) screening programs in the United States has been inconclusive, and potential unintended consequences of the programs have been debated. The present review aims to understand parents' perceptions of and responses to school-based BMI screening, and to highlight…

Terah J. Stewart challenges us to think about our attitudes toward fatness and fat bodies and consider how our campuses marginalize people based on body size. He shares his students' stories of dreading to enter a classroom for fear of not finding a seat they can fit in or being publicly admonished for being unhealthy and lazy. Clearly, negative…

Obesity among children in the USA is a growing epidemic that has received national attention (Puhl and Heuer 2010). Research suggests that children who are overweight are at increased risk for various health conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, cancer, and hypertension (Jelalian and Mehlenbeck 2003). In addition to risks to physical health,…