A lot has been written or said in the news media lately about obesity in the United States, particularly among youngsters. First Lady Michelle Obama has made reducing student obesity her personal crusade, while Tom Luna, Idaho's superintendent of public instruction, expressed concerns earlier this year about obesity among Idaho's K-12 student population.
But is obesity a problem with students in the Blaine County School District?
"I certainly don't think it is," said Matt Murray, the district's director of curriculum. "We don't have any numbers or percentages, but it doesn't seem to be a problem."
Murray and Wood River High School Principal John Blackman estimated obesity among students in the district at 10 percent at most.
"I think nationally it's an issue," Blackman said. "Most of my kids are in pretty decent shape."
Luna expressed concerns in late January about student obesity in the state, citing findings from a statewide "body mass index" study that concluded that 30 percent of Idaho K-12 students are overweight. While the Idaho percentage was slightly lower than the 33 percent national average cited in the study, Luna made several recommendations for getting overweight kids back into shape, including providing more health classes, more physical education and new nutritional standards for Idaho schools.
Murray said those measures are already in place in Blaine County, which partly explains why student obesity is much less here than elsewhere.
Health education, or wellness classes as they are sometimes called, are already required courses for high school and middle school students and are part of the weekly curriculum in the district's elementary schools.
Physical education is required for elementary, middle school and high school students.
"I think we're the only district in the state that has certified PE instructors at all levels," Murray said.
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He said the district's nutritional standards meet or exceed national and state requirements.
Beyond the requirements, Murray pointed out, youngsters in Blaine County have almost unlimited sports activities throughout the year to help them stay in shape.
"I've never lived anywhere before in a place that's so health-conscious," said Murray, who moved to Blaine County several years ago from California. "People seem to be active. All year around there's things to do."
Blaine County's healthy lifestyle was affirmed in a nationwide study released in February by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin. The study determined that Blaine was the third healthiest county in Idaho, topped only by Latah County in northern Idaho and Madison County in eastern Idaho, both of which have high percentages of college students.
While not addressing student obesity, the study listed Blaine County adult obesity at 16 percent, compared to a statewide average of 25 percent.
Incidentally, the study listed "binge drinking" in Blaine County at 21 percent, compared to a statewide average of 14 percent.
Vending machines
One of Michelle Obama's main targets for fighting student obesity is ridding schools of vending machines that provide sugary drinks and snacks.
Drink machines at Wood River High School provide only sugar-free refreshments, but the school does have a snack machine from which students can buy donuts, chips, candy bars and other goodies of questionable nutritional value.
Blackman said the school-owned machine generates about $15,000 a year in revenue, which is used exclusively for student activities.
"There's always been a lot of debate about how you replace it to come up with student funds," Blackman said. "I'd be more than happy to pull it out if the district would give me the money instead."
Blackman said the school installed a refrigerated vending machine for yogurt and other nutritional snacks several years ago. It was the type with small doors that open to a rotating product shelf inside.
"It sold plenty of products," Blackman said. "The problem was they stole from it and it was broken down all the time. We were spending more money to keep the machine in repair the we were selling product."
Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com
Obese or not, students can still buy a snack at Wood River High School. Principal John Blackman said the vending machine produces $15,000 in annual revenue, which is used exclusively for student activities. Photo by David N. Seelig
