The Boy Scouts of American Organization has banned extremely overweight Boy Scouts from the scouts' annual jamboree, according to ABC News.
The organization said they published their height and weight requirements for the event in advance to give scouts a reason to work toward a healthy weight. The event is said to be the most physically demanding in its history.
Attracting scouts from across the country, the jamboree includes 10 days of hiking, camping and various other activities and will take place at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in West Virginia.
Organizers from the event told the Associated Press that the location is designed to endorse physical fitness. The layout will push them to walk for long distances over hilly terrain and hike mountains to make it to the different activities.
According to the AP, scouts with a body mass index of 40 or higher weren't eligible to attend the event. The average weight for a 12-year-old boy is 90 pounds, and an obese 12-year-old is more than 130 pounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Teaching scouts and scouters how to live a sustainable life, which includes a healthy lifestyle, and the health of our participants are important goals of the jamboree," spokesman for the BSA, Deron Smith, said in a statement to ABC News. "We published our height weight requirements years in advance and many individuals began a health regimen to lose weight and attend the jamboree. But, for those who couldn't, most self-selected and chose not to apply."
"Additionally, as the newest high adventure base of the BSA, The Summit is a fun but physically demanding facility with numerous high-adventure activities, including kayaking, rock climbing, bouldering, skateboarding, BMX, and various other activities," Smith said.
It is unknown how many scouts were affected by the regulations.
