The 13th Point
It seems that the Boy Scouts of America have added a new point to their scout law. It is a little known point because they try real hard to crush bad publicity. Their new point is discrimination. They tuck this away in their health form and call it safety for its members or “let’s not be a burden to the program”. I am referring to there newly added height/ weight chart. This has been a practice at their high adventure camps for quite a while with a limited amount of complaint that neither the general public nor its members ever hear about. But now they have decided to enforce it on all activities where a person is more than 30 minutes from an area accessible by car, it will have far reaching implications. With the suggestion that all activities follow this guideline.
Their height/ weight chart or BMI way of determining fitness was invented around 1840 while studying social physics. It is intended to screen whole populations, not individuals. Through numerous studies and clinical research, many highly respected organizations have proven that BMI is not a reliable indication of health. The two most obvious examples of this unreliability are highly muscled individuals who are very fit and healthy that may have a heavy body weight because muscle weighs so much more than fat placing them in the overweight or obese categories. Likewise, thin individuals who have a low body weight with very little muscle and a tremendously higher percentage of fat may have a normal BMI, which would be an incorrect indication of healthiness.
In 2004, research published in the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine stated that in most cases studied, the BMI did not accurately reflect the subject’s percentage of body fat. The issue with BMI is that the same criteria are used across the board when in reality there are numerous circumstances that are not taken into account. Specifically, BMI does not distinguish between body fat and muscle mass. Joshua Ode, Ph.D., Michigan State University stated this exact point when commenting on BMI, “whether you’re an athlete or a 75-year-old man, all the same cut points are used.” Another of the circumstances that impact the reliability of BMI is the subject’s heritage. Studies conducted by McMaster University, Duke University, Michigan State University and California University all show that BMI thresholds are significantly inaccurate base upon the racial heritage of individual groups. On average BMI numbers drastically underestimate health risks in people of South Asian, Chinese and Aboriginal descent while at the same time overestimate the risk in people of African American and South Pacific descent.
Salim Yusuf, Ph.D., National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute states, “Many of us now realize that body mass index is a very poor measure of adiposity – how fat you are – and how much health risk you face. BMI is a tool best used at home to get a person’s attention but for true health markers a person needs numerous tests including waist size, blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure.” With so much agreement in the scientific community concerning the unreliability of BMI, I ask you why the BSA would enact such stringent rules for their membership. Furthermore, there is no exaggeration in the use of the word stringent as a review of the BSA BMI compared to the U.S. Army BMI requirements shows a difference of only 8% in the allowable numbers. The BSA truly feels that their 100% volunteer leadership should be within 8% of the same “fitness” levels of the men and women who train daily, work in harsh environments and are deployed to combat war theaters? Isn’t this asking a bit much?
The BSA’s physical examination form that lists the BMI plainly states “For healthy height/weight guidelines, visit www.cdc.gov.” This site states, “BMI is not a diagnostic tool, to determine if excess weight is a health risk, a healthcare provider would need to perform further assessments.” This statement from the CDC only furthers the argument that the BSA should rely on the opinion of medically trained doctors as opposed to the use of a generalized chart created 169 years ago. The BSA physical examination form also states that their BMI table is based on the revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the Dept. of Health & Human Services. I searched the websites of both of these organizations and found there to be two disturbing issues. First, their online BMI calculators were not identical to the BSA BMI chart which leads me to question of the integrity of the BSA BMI chart. Secondly, both of these websites have similar statements to the CDC concerning the use of BMI as a tool, but definitely not as a final assessment to a person’s health risk.
When questioned further on this policy, Mr. James McClelland, Program Director at the Great Sauk Trail Council of the BSA, stated the following:
“The height / weight chart currently applies to any high-adventure activity, or events in which emergency evacuation would take longer than 30 minutes by ground transportation. There have been many requests for clarification on this, and while the FAQs do not cover it, the National Director of Health & Safety does share this possible draft response. While this is NOT official, it does provide insight into how the height/weight chart should be applied:
If your unit is going to participate in a high adventure event that will take you beyond a point where, if incapacitated, it would require more than 30 minutes moving you to a motor vehicle accessible location for evacuation to emergency medical care you will need to follow the guidelines of the height/weight chart. Rescuing an overweight individual is very difficult and can require special teams or equipment. Being prepared includes all participants being physically and mentally ready for the planned event, understanding their risks, and developing a rescue plan that does not present unmanageable risk to the unit or others. Activity examples already mentioned include whitewater trips on remote rivers, backcountry hiking, and remote service projects, but could include horse cavalcades to backcountry sites, climbing trips, mountain biking in the desert, etc. Most Cub Scout / Boy Scout resident camps (non-high adventure) do not fall into a category that would require use of the H/W chart. Most have drive up campsites and don’t require packing in or out. In addition, medical care is onsite at each of the BSA resident camps. Non-BSA camps, use of outfitters and tour guides would require additional evaluation.”
Note the 30 minute rule. This eliminates all hikes, bike hikes, and canoe trips planned by our troop. Also note the comment on rescuing an overweight person. Under the BMI a 5′8″ 230 pound person is considered overweight, but a 6′4″ 252 pound person is not. I ask which is harder to carry from the field.
Do you realize with this standard, many (37%) of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals would have been ineligible to play?
As I continued to look at the mathematics relating to the BSA BMI, I am left wondering how many of the BSA adult leadership do not follow the BSA’s rules. Based upon numbers garnered from the U.S. Government and the Boy Scouts of America the following information would be correct based on average. Since only 4.6% of the American population volunteers their time and there are 1.1 million Boy Scout adult leaders, almost 9% of the volunteers in America work with the BSA. Since 68% of Americans are overweight and fall outside the BSA BMI, only 32% of the adult leaders should be able to participate in any event that exceeds 72 hours or is strenuous and demanding. This equates to only 352,000 of the volunteering 1,100,000 adult leaders being able to participate with their troops and I have not been able to find any information that would indicate this is the case. This leads me to ask is the BSA so fortunate that instead of 68% of their adult leaders being overweight they have a closer average to 5 or 10%? I find this highly unlikely with a much more easily digestible story being that the BSA adult leaders are not following the established BSA guidelines.
In summation, I find the BSA policy regarding physical health requirements to be based upon inaccurate information that will negatively impact the activities of Boy Scouts around the nation. There is an amazing amount of evidence that shows the BMI is not an appropriate measuring stick for a person’s health and therefore should not be used by the BSA to determine if a person can participate in their sanctioned activities. The current policy is also extremely discriminatory as it is so largely based upon how a person fits within a chart of preconceived ideas. I understand the 2000 Supreme Court Victory for the BSA has given it the right to classify itself as an exclusive club, which allows it to actively discriminate against people without legal recrimination. Yet, what makes the BSA different than any other organization with this status is that it still enjoys tax-exempt status, free use of county, state and national parks, use of public school space and receives free Federal government monies. (Over $1 million last year.) What statistics are available to show us that individuals outside of the approved BSA BMI are more susceptible to immense bodily injury than those who fall outside the BMI but have been approved by their medical doctor? I contend that these statistics do not exist and further illustrate that the current program is not based on accurate and pertinent information.
It’s time to stand up and be heard. Any and all public funds should be pulled. The general public should not stand for supporting discrimination in any way.
Thank you, Francis Montry
fmontry@aol.com Scoutmaster Troop 538 Ida, Michigan
