Growth Screening

The Pennsylvania Department of Health requires school districts to begin calculating Body Mass Index (BMI). The Stroudsburg Area School District nurses will be implementing the BMI program throughout the district in all grade levels (k to 12).

BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) is a good way to monitor a child's weight to determine if he/she is at risk for certain chronic diseases. The BMI formula helps us see whether a child's weight is in proportion to his or her height.

A BMI PERCENTILE indicates how a person's measurements compare to others of the same age and gender. A child whose BMI is at the 50 th percentile is close to the average of the population. A child above the 95 th percent is considered at risk above average because 95 percent of the population weighs less than he or she does. A child below the 5 th percentile is considered at risk below average because 95 percent of the population weighs more.

At risk below average weight BMI-for-age < 5 th percentile

At risk of above average weight BMI-for-age 85 th percentile to < 95 th percentile

At risk of above average weight BMI-for-age >95 th percentile

Being outside the normal percentile range for BMI can place a person at risk for certain health problems. A student who is above the normal percentile range has an increased risk of developing serious conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and certain cancers. A student who is below the normal percentile range has an increased risk for certain heart problems, loss of bone mass, and anemia. It also may be a sign of an underlying eating disorder (www.cdc.gov).

Like all screening tools, BMI can produce some false positives or negatives. For example a student may have an artificially high BMI percentile due to a high level of lean body tissue or muscle, as may be found in a well-conditioned athlete. It is important to follow up with your doctor if your child's BMI is too high or low so he/she can properly interpret the screening results.

Each year, the school nurse will send home the results of your child's Growth Screening. Please share the results of the Growth Screening Program with your child's health care provider as they are in the best position to evaluate your child's health. For more information on BMI measures, you may wish to reference www.cdc.gov (retrieved from www.panaonline.org).

See "ALL THE BUZZ ABOUT BMI" below to find some tips on how to lower the BMI measurement as well as links to other helpful resources.

Below is the link for all the buzz:
All The Buzz About BMI