Welcome to the School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity online course of the Training Tools for Healthy Schools series. Chapter One Introduction. In this self-paced course, you can access the training material in several ways. You may select a specific chapter or chapter section by clicking on a title. You may view the course in its entirety by simply clicking on the "play" button in the video window and then clicking "next" to proceed to the next video. Click "back" to view the previous video.
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At the end of the course, you will have the opportunity to evaluate it and download a certificate of completion.
Since 1980, there has been a dramatic rise in childhood obesity. Schools have an opportunity to help prevent obesity and promote physical activity and healthy eating at an early age and possibly change the course of students' lives.
The CDC publication School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity outlines evidence-based recommendations for schools to address healthy eating and physical activity. These guidelines were developed in response to the serious effects associated with inadequate physical activity and unhealthy eating.
This training is based on the CDC report, School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. In addition to the information provided throughout this training, you are encouraged to refer back to the full report for more detailed information on strategies to promote healthy eating and physical activity in schools. The full report is intended to be a reference guide for you to identify evidence-based practices that can be implemented in schools and also includes extensive information on practices to achieve the guidelines.
The School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity are based on an in-depth review of research, theory, and best practices in healthy eating and physical activity promotion in school health, public health, and education.
The course objectives are for you to:
The Burden of Obesity: An Overview. Currently, one in three children and adolescents is either obese or overweight. Obesity affects youth of all races, ethnicities, and income levels in all 50 states. Obesity has been labeled a childhood epidemic, and unfortunately it leads to serious health problems.
We are seeing more children and adolescents develop health problems that previously were seen primarily in adults, such as:
Children and adolescents who are obese have a 70% to 80% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. Overweight and obese adults are at greater risk for heart disease, cancer, and stroke. These are leading causes of death among adults in the United States. A number of factors contribute to obesity, including:
The good news is that these factors are controllable and reversible.
Although not the only entity responsible for addressing childhood obesity, schools can play an effective role in the overall health of children and adolescents.
About 95% of the nation's children and adolescents are enrolled in schools. They typically spend six hours per day for up to 13 years of their lives in school.
Since schools reach so many children, it may be an ideal setting to promote health and address highly prevalent conditions, such as obesity.
With that in mind, the School Health Guidelines reflect and align with the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model as a comprehensive, multicomponent approach to deliver healthy eating and physical activity programs and interventions in schools.
The School Health Guidelines provide science-based guidance on establishing a school environment supportive of healthy eating and physical activity.
Here is a list of the nine guidelines. We will address each one in more detail along with strategies for implementing the guidelines in schools and districts.
Each guideline is important to school health, and there is no priority order. Although the ultimate goal is to implement all guidelines, not every guideline will be feasible for every school.
Guideline 1: Use a coordinated approach to develop, implement, and evaluate healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices.
People from different segments of the school and community, including students and parents, should work together to maximize healthy eating and physical activity opportunities for students.
This coordination of individuals and groups may help programs be sustained over time.
School districts should establish a school health council. Schools should establish a school health team.
These serve as advisory, decision-making, and planning groups, addressing school health policies and practices. Each school health council and school health team should have a school health coordinator to lead the group.
The school health team or council can assess current healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices using CDC's School Health Index: to identify strengths and weaknesses.
After the assessment is completed, schools can develop a plan for improving the current environment also using CDC's e School Health Index.
Next, districts and schools should establish a system to implement and monitor healthy eating and physical activity policies. Once policies and practices have been implemented, schools and districts will need to evaluate the program to see if change has improved students' health.
Guideline 2: Establish school environments that support healthy eating and physical activity. The school environment should:
Some traits that characterize a healthy school environment include:
Some examples of creating a healthy school environment include having adequate time for meals, which means at least ten minutes for eating breakfast and 20 minutes for eating lunch.
It is also recommended to provide recess before lunch to reduce plate waste, increase food consumption, and decrease student wait time in line.
Guideline 3: Provide a quality school meal program and ensure students have appealing, healthy food and beverage choices offered outside of the school meal program.
Schools are in a unique position to promote healthy dietary behaviors and help ensure appropriate food and nutrient intake among their students. Many schools provide students with access to food and beverages in various venues across the school campus, including meals served in the cafeteria and competitive foods in other locations (for example school stores, vending machines, and school fundraisers). Schools should model and reinforce healthy dietary behaviors by ensuring that only nutritious and appealing foods and beverages are provided in all venues.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers the federally sponsored school meal programs, including the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. All students are eligible to participate in the school meal programs, regardless of income level. However, some students may be eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.
School meal programs should offer nutritious and appealing foods and beverages that meet federally defined nutrition standards based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Overall, students who eat the school meals tend to consume more milk, fruits, and vegetables and they tend to have better nutrient intake than those who do not participate. Putting nutrition standards in place for all foods and beverages sold or served outside of the school meal program can be an effective strategy to ensure healthier foods and beverages are offered in the school. These foods and beverages are called competitive foods and should meet or exceed the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.
Guideline 4: Implement a comprehensive physical activity program with quality physical education as the cornerstone.
Federal physical activity guidelines state that children and adolescents should participate in at least 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day.
A comprehensive physical activity program includes physical activity before, during, and after school. A substantial percentage of students' physical activity can be provided through this program. Teams can consult CDC's Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: A Guide for Schools to help identify how to establish a more active school environment.
A Physical education program includes:
Physical education should include:
Elementary school students should receive 150 minutes per week of physical education, while secondary school students should receive 225 minutes per week of physical education.
In addition to physical education, opportunities for students to engage in other types of physical activity before, during, and after school should also be offered, including recess, classroom physical activity breaks, physical activity clubs, and intramural and interscholastic sports programs.
Physical activities should be offered that can meet the needs of all students, not just those who are most athletically gifted.
Let's check your knowledge on the first four guidelines by answering a few questions.
Guideline 5: Implement health education that provides students with the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and experiences needed for healthy eating and physical activity.
Health education can increase the likelihood that students engage in healthy behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks to become successful learners and productive adults.
The schools should require health education for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. Instruction should address healthy eating, physical activity, inactivity (such as television watching), and healthy weight maintenance.
It is recommended that health education:
Guideline 6: Provide students with health, mental health, and social services to address healthy eating, physical activity, and related chronic disease prevention.
Schools are responsible for students' physical health, mental health, and safety during the school day. Because students' academic success and well-being are intertwined with their physical and mental health and safety, schools have become key providers or links for services to address these needs. These services are especially useful for those students with chronic health conditions.
School staff, especially school nurses, play a critical role in coordinating student health care services.
School health, mental health, and social services staff should ensure resources are available for health conditions related to diet, activity, and weight.
Health services staff should assess students needs related to physical activity, nutrition, and obesity, provide counseling, and refer students to medical providers in the community.
In addition to providing direct services for students, these staff should advocate to create a healthy, safe, and supportive school environment.
A supportive environment allows students to make healthy dietary choices inside and outside of the school setting.
Guideline 7: Partner with families and community members in the development and implementation of healthy eating and physical activity policies, practices, and programs.
Schools, families, and community members influence the growth and development of children and adolescents, and they share responsibility for nurturing them into becoming healthy and productive adults.
Schools can encourage and facilitate communication among schools, families, and community members. Schools should communicate frequently with parents about healthy eating and physical activity initiatives and policies introduced at the school.
In addition to maintaining open communication, schools should invite families and community members to participate on school health councils and teams, and ask for their input on planning and implementing school health policies and practices.
Community members can help expand the healthy eating and physical activity opportunities available to students. Community partners may be able to offer health promotion activities and events, purchase equipment, or advise on health education curricula.
Guideline 8: Provide a school employee wellness program that includes healthy eating and physical activity services for all school staff members.
School employee wellness programs can:
In addition, school employee wellness programs may influence the adoption of healthy eating and physical activity behaviors by staff and result in school staff modeling positive health behaviors for students.
Before starting a school employee wellness program, schools should first determine the nutrition and physical activity needs of school staff.
Next, schools should request administrative support for staff involvement in school employee wellness.
After identifying the need and support for a school employee wellness program, schools should then develop, implement, and evaluate it.
Guideline 9: Employ qualified persons and provide professional development opportunities for physical education, health education, nutrition services, and health, mental health, and social services staff members, as well as staff members who supervise recess, cafeteria time, and out-of-school programs.
Providing certified and qualified staff members with regular professional development opportunities allows them to improve current skills and acquire new ones.
Schools should require the hiring of physical education teachers, health education teachers, and nutrition services staff members who are certified and appropriately prepared and trained to deliver quality instruction, programs, and practices. Only teachers who are certified to teach physical education should teach physical education classes, rather than teachers who are certified to teach other subject areas.
Schools also need to provide regular professional development for staff members and provide opportunities to improve their knowledge, skills, and competencies.
Now let's take a moment to check your knowledge on guidelines 5-9 by answering a few questions.
School-based healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices will make a powerful contribution toward a healthy future for our students. By adopting these nine guidelines, schools can help ensure that all students have the opportunity to attain their maximum educational potential and pursue a lifetime of good health.
The childhood obesity epidemic and the chronic diseases associated with poor dietary habits and physical inactivity are not likely to be reversed without a strong contribution from schools. Intensifying efforts to promote healthy eating and physical activity is consistent with the mission of schools—educating young people to become healthy, productive citizens who can make meaningful contributions to society.
You are encouraged to use the resources available throughout this course in your real world applications. For example, you can use Tips for Teachers in Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in the Classroom to share with classroom teachers in schools you work with. You can also deliver presentations on the guidelines using public use presentation materials complete with CDC language for your presentation. It can be delivered at meetings, conferences, trainings of trainers, continuing education activities, or other events with individuals interested in promoting healthy eating and physical activity through schools. Finally, you can refer back to the full CDC report on the School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity to go further with your learning on topics discussed in the course.
Now that you have completed the School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity course, you should be ready for the initial steps to promote healthy eating and physical activity among students in your school or district. Simply download and save the "3-2-1 Let's Go!" worksheet in conjunction with the Executive Summary to help you get started on your next steps!
Thank you for participating in the School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity course. Please take a few moments to let us know about your experience by clicking on the evaluation link in the video summary. Your feedback is very important, and we value your opinion! Finally, you can print a Certificate of Completion by clicking on the certificate link in the video summary.
We hope you have enjoyed participating in the School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity course in the Training Tools for Health Schools e-learning series.