Too Fat for Boy Scouts

on May 8, 2009 at 9:46 AM

Thanks teenmom2twins for making sure the CM community didn't miss this story.

When I saw the ABCnews.com headline, it caught my attention at first because I thought it was going to be about some new weight requirement for Boy Scouts. In fact, the weight requirement is for adults. Any volunteers doing certain strenuous activities with the Boy Scouts will now have to meet a personal weight requirement found in the national health and medical record chart.

It's a tough call when you have committed dads like the guys ABC profiled. They volunteer their time, chaperon, and camp but, the fact is, one guy was nearly 400 lbs., the other almost 300 lbs. Is it possible that some activities are simply unsafe to do at a certain weight?

"We want to note that these policies do not restrict a person's ability to volunteer in the scouting program and are not meant to make it difficult to participate in scouting activities; rather, they are meant to ensure the health and safety of those who participate in high adventure activities," a Boy Scout official said to ABCNews.com. "Therefore, we do not expect it will greatly impact many volunteers or leaders."

So far, the same policy has not been adopted by the Girl Scouts, but it stands to reason that it might. It will be a much bigger issue then, because then it will be about moms and weight. Touchy indeed.

What do you think? Is this a fair policy or an unfair one to overweight parents?

Filed Under: activities, health, volunteering

Comments (39)

tikigoddess

on May 8, 2009 at 10:39 AM

Yes it can be unsafe, it can be an insurance risk if that person were to get hurt doing something and that makes it a liability. I'm sorry, but people/parents have to start being responsible for their own weight and their children's weights before it gets to be a problem.

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tweety14

on May 8, 2009 at 11:01 AM

My son was in cub/boy scouts for years. I don't think the weight requirement is unfair when it comes to some activities. Boyscouts do alot of activities that are very strenous, such as alot of hiking up some pretty steep mtns, alot of camping sites require quite a bit of walking to get to the sites. If an adult is overweight I can see where this could be unsafe for them, as it could cause heatstrokes, heart attacks/strokes. But if the adult in question is in physically good condition & happens to be just a big person by nature, then I would think it is their decision to decide if they think they can do the activity involved or not. Not everyone that weighs 300 lbs, weighs that because they are "fat." Some people are big by genetics, "big" bones, or heigth. I know of several men that are considered fat, but are not really fat, just big because of the aforementioned facts, also because of sports, exercise, weight lifting. So no, I don't think it is unfair, but I also don't think it will affect to many of the leaders, assistance leaders, etc. Also, on some of the activities you have to sign a paper that says the Boyscouts are not responsible if you are injured, or if the group has an accident of some sort. When you do activities with the scouts, you do them at your own risk, and if your health is bad, or know that an activity could cause you harm because of your health, you should stay at home.

leftcoastgirl

on May 8, 2009 at 11:51 AM

I can understand this. My son has to have a physical to be approved for outings, so it would only make sense that volunteers also meet the same criteria. It's liability people. We are a sue happy country. Someone could have a heart attack and die on the top of a mountain and that family will sue the hell out of BSA. How many lawsuits do you think they can handle? Not many. My DH is slightly overweight by their criteria and he also volunteers. I just sent this article to him. Maybe it will encourage him to lose a few pounds. Thanks for sharing.

aurorabunny

on May 8, 2009 at 12:00 PM

Oooh let's all give the BSA a big round of applause for finding yet another way to be oppressive bigoted freaks.

RanaAurora

on May 8, 2009 at 12:21 PM

Yeah, now they won't allow fat kids, gay kids, atheist or Pagan kids. Next will be autistic or Down Syndrome kids, right? Since we're all bad "moral influences" on the other kids and all. *eyeroll*

LoveMyDog

on May 8, 2009 at 12:49 PM

Well, if there were only two adults on one of these trips and one of them had a heart attack what is the other one supposed to do? Carry the adult down the mountain? And what happens to the boys? If you are going to be in charge of my son, you better not drop dead while doing it. Liablity people.

on May 8, 2009 at 1:36 PM

No kidding. Pretty soon they'll be a regular Hitler Youth organization.

MomOfJandM

on May 8, 2009 at 1:56 PM

I think they are right, weight and certain activities can be a dangerous combination. They are doing this for the health of the volunteer's. It's not like they are saying you're "too fat" to help out, or something.

How many times have people sued someone, even though they KNEW they were doing something they shouldn't have been doing?

Tracys2

on May 8, 2009 at 2:27 PM

I see their point, but like anything based on stats, it will get some people who may be out of shape and in danger, and others who aren't.

I have a friend who is morbidly obese (just over 6 ft and over 250 lbs) and can do a strenuous 10 mile hike without any problems. He leads those hikes at least once a week, sometimes 2-3 times, and plays tennis at a competitive level too. He sees doctors regularly and has a good heart- he isn't really a danger, but he'd be out of luck volunteering for BSA though he knows hiking and canoeing like the back of his hand. He just lazes around and eats poorly the rest of the time and his family are all way bigger than he is, so part of it is genetic.

mrssundin

on May 8, 2009 at 2:56 PM

i see nothing wrong with this requirement, i would hate for something bad to happen to someone because they were not able to do the activities. if you don't like that rule don't let you kids join it is as simple as that. the military also has height and weight requirement's if the did not have these a lot of people would be in danger.