Taking
Action in Schools
There
has been a trend of “crowding out” essential
nutrients with fat and sugar in America. This
trend is even reflected in foods provided in
school lunches. Children spend a great deal
of their time in school, learning lifestyle
behaviors from peers and teachers. Schools
need to provide nutritious foods and a healthy
environment in order to reinforce the messages
students hear about healthy eating.
Similarly, just as Americans on the whole are becoming more sedentary, so are
school atmospheres. Physical education is rarely provided daily, and kids often
spend much of their P.E. class waiting in line. In addition to improving P.E.
offerings, schools can find ways to creatively add activity into the long school
day, all the while supplementing and enhancing academics.
Schools can and should be a place for children to be active, consume healthy
foods and learn about the importance of nutrition and physical activity. On
a positive note, many schools and programs are doing great work in these areas.
SmartBODY, HIN’s fitness and nutrition website, showcases many of these
successful programs from around the country. These serve not only as model
programs but also as inspiration for other schools and organizations who are
interested in making a difference in the health of children.
School-Based
Solutions Include:
• Creating
balanced school breakfast programs.
• Establishing after-school or summer extended learning programs that include
a physical activity component and use federal snack program reimbursements as
a cornerstone. Learn more about federal nutrition programs available for your
school.
• Using research-based nutrition curriculum such as the USDA’s “Team
Nutrition” curriculum or the Produce
for Better Health Foundation’s “Five-a-Day” curriculum.
• Implementing or strengthening school policies regarding school food nutrition
standards and/or physical education requirements.
• Creating a wellness program for school staff, as well as for children.
Keep in mind how important it is to model healthy behaviors for kids!
• Building coalitions to improve the school nutrition and physical activity
environment.
There are a number of innovative guides to help you create or change school
policies, environments, coordinated school health programs, and coalitions.
Here are a few:
• Changing
the Scene- Improving the School Nutrition Environment. A guide to Local Action
• Promoting
Better Health for Young People Through Physical Activity and Sports
• Fit, Healthy;
and Ready to Learn – A School Health Policy Guide
• Model School Wellness
Policies
Also
visit SmartBODY,
HIN’s fitness information center, for
model programs, movement-oriented lessons and
a list of links and resources. (www.neasmartbody.org)