By Chase Stevens ’12
THE ROUNDUP
Brophy has started to measure and track every freshman’s health and give them a diet plan they can follow.
Called the Brophy Healthy Weight Management Program, the endeavor requires every freshman to have health data tracked, beginning the first time they step into health class.
“We just got funding from the owner of Michael’s (Chef Michael DeMaria) to do this. He believes very strongly about this,” said Mr. Christopher White, Health/P.E. Department Chair and head of the Brophy Healthy Weight Management Program.
The program also received help from Orson Kinney, CEO of the Body Technology Company. Orson and his company provided Brophy with its bodpod, which is used for measuring the body fat of each freshman.
“Our plan is to chart and test these freshmen once annually, so we can track them for four years.”
The study has so far shown some interesting things about the way we measure health in terms of Body Mass Index and body fat.
“Thirty-five kids have normal BMI, but are over 23 percent body fat, which is dangerously high. Another 17 have normal BMI but have over 19 percent body fat, which is still high,” Mr. White said.
However, the number of unhealthy students is in the minority. According to the official summary of the health program data, about 75 percent of the students have normal BMI and normal body fat.
The summary stated that “Brophy students, in general, are better than national average, in terms of BMI and Body Fat.”
The health program has also gotten the attention of people outside of Brophy.
Channel 12 sent Kim Covington out to do a story about both the health program for the freshman and for the new healthy lunches being served at Michael’s.
Last month The Roundup reported on the healthy meals Michael’s now offers every Tuesday.
Over time, Brophy hopes to allow every student to use the bodpod for health purposes.
“We want all students to get tested if they want and to get them a healthy diet,” Mr. White said.
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