Improving School Health

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Improving School Health
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Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of
2004

• Public Law 108-265 enacted June 2005
• Section 204 Local School Wellness Policy
• Each District participating in USDAs School Meal
  Program is required to establish a local school
  wellness policy by school year 2006.

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School Wellness Policy Why?

• Opportunity for school districts to create an
  environment for healthy lifestyle choices
• May raise district revenue from greater
• school lunch program participation
• Places responsibility at the local level
• Supports student learning and health
• Recognizes critical role of schools in curbing
  the epidemic of childhood overweight
• May reduce early and chronic disease in youth

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Why the Concern?
OVERWEIGHT Bay Area 5th Graders
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Why the Concern?
UNFIT Bay Area 5th Graders
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Nutrition and LearningRelationship and Benefits

• Improved attendance and behavior
• Fewer visits to the school nurse
• Essential for growth and development
• Increased attention, creativity, scores
• Higher academic performance
• Better over-all health and wellness

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Physical Activity and API Scores (Concurrent
Relationship)
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Nutritious Intake and API Scores (Concurrent
Relationship)
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Breakfast Consumption and API Scores
(Concurrent Relationship)
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Breakfast and Annual Changes in Test Scores
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5
2.5
2.4
2.2
2.0
1.9
1.5
1.5
1.4
1.1
1.0
0.7
0.6
0.5
0
-0.2
Change in SAT-9 (NPR)
-1.0
Reading
Language
Mathematics
-5
-10
48
55
62
69
76
48
55
62
69
76
48
55
62
69
76
Percent who ate breakfast
Source California Healthy Kids Survey STAR
data files.
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Safety at School and API Scores (Concurrent
Relationship)
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What Is Required?

1. Goals for Nutrition Education, Physical Activity,
   and Other School-Based Activities
2. Nutrition Standards
3. A Plan for Measuring Implementation
4. Guidelines for Reimbursable School Meals
5. A Policy Development Team

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Dietary Guidelines 2005

• Consume smart choices from every food group
• Fiber-rich, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
  fat-free
• or low-fat milk and milk products
• Lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts
• Limit saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol,
  salt
• and added sugars
• Find balance between food and physical activity
• Children need 60 minutes a day (moderate
  intensity)

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Who Makes the Policy?

• Requirement 5 LSWP
• Policy development team (or a School Health
  Council) must include
• Parents (PTA and other groups)
• Students
• Child Nutrition Staff
• School Board Representative
• School Administrators
• Community - Individuals, Group Members
• Encourage School Nurses, Teachers, School Health
  Council Coordinator, and others

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Eight Components of a Coordinated School Health
ProgramA System for High-Quality School-Based
Health and Nutrition Programs

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School Health Councilsand Coordinated School
Health

• Assist in the development a Wellness Policy
• Superintendent OConnells Task Force on Child
  Obesity, Diabetes and CV Disease Recommends
  Coordinated School Health Approach
• Creating the Local School Wellness Policy could
  be a start for School Health Councils in
  developing a Coordinated School Health Program

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Its Not Just a PolicyIts a Partnership

• We need you to help ensure the development,
  success
• and sustainability
• of our student wellness policy.

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Contact Information
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Other Resources

• California Healthy Kids Resource Center
  www.californiahealthykids.org
• American Cancer Society
  www.cancer.org
• USDA Local School Wellness Policy
  www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/wellnesspolicy.html
• Action for Healthy Kids www.actionforhealthykids.
  org

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Other Resources

• California School Food Service Association
  (California School Nutrition Association)
  www.csfsa.org
• School Nutrition Association
  www.asfsa.org
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  www.cdc.gov

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BANPAC

• This power point was adapted from existing
  materials by the School Wellness Committee of
  BANPAC (Bay Area Nutrition and Physical Activity
  Collaborative)
• For more information visit www.banpac.org