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Boy Scouts policy excludes obese scouts

Posted at 6:52 AM, Jul 16, 2013
and last updated 2013-07-16 07:39:16-04

(WTVR) - No obese Boy Scouts. That's the new standard for certain events planned by the organization. Monday, tens of thousands of Boy Scouts and their leaders in West Virginia had to pass a Body Mass Index (BMI) test in order to participate in some events at the Jamboree.

Leaders designed the 10-day wilderness adventure to be physically demanding and said that it required a high level of fitness.

"Obesity and being overweight have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems: hypertension, heart attack, dyslipidemia, and stroke. Anyone who is obese and has multiple risk factors for cardiovascular/cardiopulmonary disease would be at much greater risk of an acute cardiovascular/cardiopulmonary event imposed on them by the environmental stresses of the Summit," the Boy Scouts posted on the Jamboree website. "Our goal is to prevent any serious health-related event from occurring, and ensuring that all of our participants and staff are 'physically strong.'"

They published the height-weight requirements in advance.

BMI Scouts (Graphic: summit.scouting.org)

BMI Scouts (Graphic: summit.scouting.org)

"The Jamboree Medical Staff will review all applicants with a BMI of 32.0–39.9 and consider jamboree participation based on 1) health history, 2) submitted health data, and 3) recommendation of the applicant’s personal health care provider," according to the website. "For applicants with a BMI >31.9, a recommendation of 'no contraindications for participation' by the applicant’s personal health care provider does not necessarily guarantee full jamboree participation. The jamboree medical staff will have final determination of full jamboree participation."

The scouts did not t release the number of how scouts excluded from the events.

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