title: School-Based Body Mass Index Screening and Parental Notification in Late Adolescence: Evidence From Arkansas's Act 1220.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In 2003, Arkansas enacted Act 1220, one of the first comprehensive legislative initiatives aimed at addressing childhood obesity. One important provision of Act 1220 mandated that all children attending public schools be screened for their body mass index (BMI) and the information sent home to their parents. Since then, eight other states have adopted similar school-based BMI screening and notification policies. Despite their widespread adoption and implementation, there is a dearth of empirical studies evaluating such policies, particularly for adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether adolescents, who had been previously screened in early adolescence, experienced changes in their health outcomes if they continued to receive screening and reporting throughout late adolescence (11th and 12th grades).
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary data from the Centers for Disease Control's Youth Risk Behavior Survey were analyzed using the method of difference-in-differences. Changes in outcomes between 10th and 12th grade were compared between a group of students who received screenings throughout 11th and 12th grades versus a later comparison group who were exempt from screening and reporting requirements in 11th and 12th grades.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BMI screening and parental notification during late adolescence, given prior screening and notification in early adolescence, was not significantly related to BMI-for-age z-scores, the probability of being in a lower weight classification or exercise and dietary intake behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposing 11th and 12th graders to BMI screening and reporting, given that they had been exposed in prior grades, was not associated with adolescents' health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, School of Education, Davis, California. Electronic address: kagee@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D001131:Arkansas; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007878:Legislation as Topic; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D035622:Parental Notification / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012572:School Health Services
keywords: Adolescent obesity; Arkansas's Act 1220; Body mass index reporting; Body mass index screening; Difference-in-differences; Youth Risk Behavior Survey