On most days, sixth-grader Addison Foster watches his classmates chow down on high-fat, high-calorie food.

"Mostly kids eat lots of junk, like big juicy hamburgers and candy," the 12-year-old Brown Middle School student said.

But he insists he is different. Though Addison also gives in to his hankerings for hamburgers, he said he cancels those calories by walking around his neighborhood every day, wrestling and playing summer football.

A team of school nurses recently spent one day at Brown Middle measuring the height, weight and blood pressure of sixth-grade students as part of a districtwide effort to record key health statistics of public school students. Since September, the team has collected data from about 1,900 students in 11 Hamilton County public schools.

Staff Photo by D. Patrick Harding -- Brown Middle School student Andrew Barrows, 12, right, finishes having his blood pressure taken by registured nurse Lana Devaney during a recent health and body mass index information gathering session.

"This generation is really exhibiting many more behaviors that are negative to health. This generation is sicker," said Russell Cliche, the head of Hamilton County's coordinated school health program. "Ours is a program purely looking at prevention."

More than 40 percent of schoolchildren in the state are overweight or at risk of being overweight, according to youth surveys compiled by the Tennessee Department of Education. Hamilton County school administrators here, however, have only anecdotal information about the health status of their students.

Lack of local information has hurt the district's chances at receiving state and national grants for school health programs, most of which require statistical data, Mr. Cliche said. Not knowing students' base health status also makes it difficult to show improvement or to set goals.

Brown Middle is Mr. Cliche's last stop this school year. He will send the data he's collected so far to the state, and will resume the project next year, measuring students in grades 2, 4, 6, 8 and one high school grade in all district schools.

When the results are tallied, teacher Marla Osborne predicts "it will be shocking."

Sixth-grader Kevin Albert isn't as concerned with the final numbers, he said. He's relatively healthy, he thinks, but said it's never a bad idea to check.

"You always want to know about your health, whether it's good or bad," he said.

EARLY INTERVENTION NEEDED

The coordinated school health program, implemented statewide two years ago in Tennessee, requires school districts to collect certain health data from students.

Following a model originally created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state department offers money to all school districts to pay for a program coordinator -- with a string attached.

With state funding comes responsibility to implement health and wellness programs into curriculum and the school building, and to show the curriculum is working by sending in the data, said Rachel Woods, department spokeswoman. The state will begin creating yearly reports on school systems' progress once administrators send in their schools' data, Ms. Woods said.

Even without hard numbers, Mr. Cliche said schoolchildren have gotten heavier and sicker in recent years.

Getting a handle on dangerous health problems when children are in school is critical so they can make changes and improve their health by adulthood, said Gregory Heath, head of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's department of health and human performance.

"After puberty, if they're fat kids, they're going to be fat adults, we pretty much know that," he said.

Billie Hilton, a school nurse at Lakeside Academy, said more students are struggling with their weight.

"I think now we're seeing much more obesity than even a few years ago," she said. "Obesity just takes a toll on the whole system."

Research shows obesity is linked to increased rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Although the final numbers will not be available until a state report is compiled, preliminary results already show cause for concern, said Cherish Hamill, special projects manager for the coordinated school health program.

"We've had some pretty alarming blood pressures," she said.

STEPS TAKEN

The school district already has taken some steps to improve student health in recent years.

Cafeteria food has become more nutritious with low-fat cheese, whole grains and more fruits and vegetables. Vending machines filled with sodas and snacks also have been removed from elementary and middle school buildings.

The Hamilton County Board of Education recently approved an additional seven school nurses in next year's school budget. There are 39 full-time and part-time school nurses now.

This summer, Mr. Cliche plans to remodel about 15 teacher workrooms across the county into fitness areas for employees.

Once Hamilton County Schools has a better idea about specific areas of health that need improvement, developing programs to promote wellness will be easier, Mr. Cliche said. Disease prevention programs might be tailored to individual schools. For example, if a particular school is struggling with high blood pressure or weight problems, administrators will look into what can be done there.

"We'll set they are doing in (physical education) class and around the school. If it's not the school, we'll look at the community. Maybe there's no place for these people to buy fresh fruits and vegetables," Mr. Cliche said.

WEIGHING IN

Students filed through an assembly line last week at Brown Middle, strapping on blood pressure cuffs, standing tall to get measured, and tip-toeing onto the scale. Their blood pressure, height and weight were recorded, but the students themselves never saw the numbers.

"We don't tell them because they'll start comparing," said Sheryl Rogers, director of health services for the school system. "We don't want them asking, 'How much do you weigh? How tall are you?' "

About 10 years ago the school system partnered with Erlanger hospital to measure students for a similar project that never was finished, Ms. Rogers said. During that first attempt, students were apprehensive.

"Students were lining up outside and crying. It's just that stigma," she said. "They think they're fat or that's what they've been told."

Staff Photo by D. Patrick Harding -- Brown Middle School student Cameron McDuffy, 11, right, finishes having his blood pressure taken by registured nurse Sharon Butler during a recent health and body mass index information gather session.

This time around, Mr. Cliche takes time to explain to students what will happen, Ms. Rogers said. Before the coordinated school health team members visit a school, a letter is sent home to give parents a chance to pull their child out of the data pool. If parents want to see their children's results, they can call the coordinated school health office.

So far no parents have called, Ms. Hamill said.

All heights, weights and blood pressures are confidential, Mr. Cliche said. Team members remove student names from the data before sending it to the state, he said.

Still, some students were a little worried about the process.

"My students didn't really know what it was, and a lot didn't want to do it," said Brown science teacher Cindy Poole. "But I think it's a good thing for them."

Mallory Sizemore, 12, isn't so sure. She figures she could exercise more and be a little healthier, but the sixth-grader said that should be her decision.

"It's not their job to be weighing us and finding out about our bodies," she said. "I feel more comfortable with my doctor."

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