Arkansas may give up the BMI program or weaken it with the help of the new governor, who said it had “a lot of negative, unexpected results”.
在新任州长的帮助下，阿肯色州可能会放弃BMI计划或削弱该计划，这位州长称该计划产生了“许多负面的、意想不到的结果”。
The number of overweight children in the United States has more than doubled in the past 20 years. Being seriously overweight can lead to health problems later in life.
在过去20年里，美国超重儿童的数量翻了一番多。严重超重可能会导致日后的健康问题。
As a result, Arkansas first started the BMI program in 2004—public schools were required to provide parents with a yearly report of their children’s body-mass index (BMI), a number to show whether their weight is appropriate(合适的). Along with students’ BMIs, parents also received information on health risks of being overweight.
因此，阿肯色州于2004年率先启动了BMI计划——要求公立学校每年向家长提供一份孩子的身体质量指数（BMI）报告，这是一个显示孩子体重是否合适的数值。除了学生的BMI数据外，家长们还收到了关于超重健康风险的信息。
A study shows that obesity(肥胖) rates in Arkansas have stopped increasing since 2004. But not everyone supports schools in reporting students’ BMIs. Some parents have complained their kids worry that they are being “graded”on their weight, although Dr. Joe Thompson, who helped plan the BMI program, gave the explanation at the start of the program, “Just like a school check for vision or hearing, this is a way to raise awareness(意识)about a health risk.”
一项研究表明，自2004年以来，阿肯色州的肥胖率已停止上升。但并非所有人都支持学校上报学生的BMI。一些家长抱怨说，他们的孩子担心自己会因为体重而被“打分”，尽管协助策划该计划的乔·汤普森博士在计划启动时就曾解释说：“就像学校的视力或听力检查一样，这是一种提高健康风险意识的方式。”
Critics argue that telling parents their children weigh too much could hurt children’s self-esteem(自尊)。 Some also question whether it’s the role of schools to monitor students’ weight. Dr. Nancy Krebs, a nutrition expert, also thinks obesity report cards aren’t good enough. “They’re making kids feel bad about how they are,” she says. “Instead of focusing on kids’ BMIs, schools should provide better health and physical education classes and serve healthier foods.”
批评者认为，告知家长孩子体重过重可能会伤害孩子的自尊心。也有人质疑监测学生体重是否是学校的职责。营养专家南希·克雷布斯博士也认为肥胖报告单还不够好。“这会让孩子们对自己的身体状况感到难过，”她说，“学校不应只关注孩子的BMI，而应提供更好的健康和体育课程，并提供更健康的食物。”
However, supporters of the program say overweight children have had self-esteem problems before their parents get obesity report cards. Dr. Karen Young at Arkansas Children’s Hospital says, “The overweight kids are already being teased(被嘲弄)。 It doesn’t take the letter for them to feel bad.”
然而，该计划的支持者表示，在家长收到肥胖报告单之前，超重儿童就已经存在自尊问题了。阿肯色儿童医院的凯伦·杨博士说：“超重的孩子本来就已经在被嘲弄了。不需要这封信他们也会感到难过。”
Health experts from the University of Arkansas think it would be a pity to stop the BMI program. They see the program as a wake-up call for families and the letter is spurring some major action on some parents. Danita Thomas said she knew her son Irie was too heavy. But since getting that first BMI report, Irie has lost nearly 100 pounds and given up junk food. “It was helpful,” she said. “It made me realize that we needed to do something different.”
阿肯色大学的健康专家认为停止BMI计划将是一件憾事。他们将该计划视为对家庭的警钟，而这封信也正在促使一些家长采取重大行动。丹妮塔·托马斯说她知道儿子艾里太胖了。但在收到第一份BMI报告后，艾里减掉了近100磅体重，并戒掉了垃圾食品。“这很有帮助，”她说，“这让我意识到我们需要做些不同的事情。”
The BMI reports and other steps, such as limits on vending machine(自动售货机)use at school, are leading to healthier students. If there was no BMI program, there should be other effective tools to get schools and parents involved with preventing children from becoming overweight adults.
BMI报告和其他措施，如限制校内自动售货机的使用，正使学生变得更健康。如果没有BMI计划，也应该有其他有效的工具让学校和家长参与进来，防止儿童长成超重的成年人。
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