Public release date: 1-Feb-2012
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Contact: Vicki Cohn
vcohn@liebertpub.com
914-740-2100
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY -- The value of routine body mass index (BMI) screening in schools has been a topic of ongoing controversy. An expert Roundtable Discussion in the current issue of Childhood Obesity, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., debates the pros and cons of routine BMI screening in the school setting, discusses the most recent data, and explores when and for what purpose BMI screening results should be shared with parents and the potential benefits. The Roundtable is available online.

Patricia B. Crawford, DrPH, RD, Adjunct Professor, University of California, Berkeley, moderates the Roundtable entitled, "An Update on the Use and Value of School BMI Screening, Surveillance, and Reporting." Participants include Jim Hinson, PhD, Superintendent of Schools, Independence School District, Missouri, Kristine Madsen, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, University of California, San Francisco, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, PhD, MPH, RD, Professor, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and Allison Nihiser, MPH, Health Scientist, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

"Ignoring this issue is clearly not an option," says David L. Katz, MD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief of Childhood Obesity and Director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center. "But it must be handled thoughtfully so that what we know about BMI in kids empowers us and them, and their parents, and their teachers to do something constructive, and compassionate about it. This insightful, multidisciplinary group highlights the important opportunities in this strategy, while considering how to avoid any potential pitfalls. Great insights here and very practical guidance."

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Childhood Obesity is a bimonthly peer-reviewed journal, published in print and online, and the journal of record for all aspects of communication on the broad spectrum of issues and strategies related to weight management and obesity prevention in children and adolescents. The Journal includes peer-reviewed articles documenting cutting-edge research and clinical studies, opinion pieces and roundtable discussions, profiles of successful programs and interventions, and updates on task force recommendations, global initiatives, and policy platforms. It reports on news and developments in science and medicine, features programs and initiatives developed in the public and private sector, and includes a Literature Watch and Web Watch. Tables of content and a free sample issue may be viewed online.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative medical and biomedical peer-reviewed journals, including Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, Population Health Management, Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, and Journal of Women's Health. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 70 journals, newsmagazines, and books is available on our website.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
140 Huguenot Street,
New Rochelle, NY 10801-5215
http://www.liebertpub.com
Phone 914-740-2100
800-M-LIEBERT
Fax 914-740-2101

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Read more from the original source:
Assessing the value of BMI screening and surveillance in schools