SCHOOL NUTRITION ENVIRONMENT: HEALTHY OR UNHEALTHY??

LaChaunta Washington

Audience Glynn County school board Parents Teachers Cafeteria employees Coastal Health District

Purpose Improving primary and secondary schools’

nutrition environment Cafeteria Vending machines Classroom parties Concession stands

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

Child and adolescent overweight/obesity statisticsNutrition standards and “healthy” foodsSchools’ role in promoting healthy eatingTips for helping parents and teachers integrate nutrition into students’ everyday lifeCreative ideas for getting students to “like” healthy foods

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY STATISTICSInadequate nutrition and lack of physical activity1963-2006: 13% increase in male and female children ages 6-19Economic cost: $117 billion in 2000 (Wechsler, McKenna, Lee, & Dietz, 2004, p. 5)Leads to other health issues: diabetes, high blood pressure/cholesterol, social problemsOverweight children = Overweight adults

FOOD PYRAMID

NUTRITION STANDARDSCaloric expenditure should equal caloric intake9 servings of fruits and vegetablesFocus on whole grainsMilk keeps bones strongMeats & beans = proteins = energy

SCHOOLS’ ROLEAll children will go to school at some point in their lives“Schools provide opportunities to practice healthy eating.” (CDC, 1996, p. 9)Coordinated School Health Program

SAMPLE LUNCH MENU

Example 1 Example 2

Set the example “Show” the child the

way Set limits

Stop blaming the child Choose health over

convenience Cut down on eating out

especially fast food

Active learning Allow students to

taste “healthy” foods Help students own

up to eating behaviors

Focus on positives

Parents Teachers

CREATIVE IDEASSmoothiesBlind testingHealthy food buildingFast food vs. Healthy food

FURTHER READING

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (June 1996). Guidelines for school health programs to promote lifelong healthy eating. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 45(RR-9), pp. 1-41.

Georgia Action for Healthy Kids - http://take.actionforhealthykids.org/site/Clubs?club_id=1110&pg=main

Making it Happen: School Nutrition Success Stories - http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/MIH/MainPage.aspx

Stallings, V. A. & Yaktine, A. L. [Editors]. (2007). Nutrition Standards for Foods in School: Leading the Way Toward Healthier Youth. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press.

REFERENCES1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Health,

United States, 2008 with special feature on the health of young adults. Retrieved January 4, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf#076

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (June 1996). Guidelines for school health programs to promote lifelong healthy eating. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 45(RR-9), pp. 1-41.

3. Power, T. G., Bindler, R. C., Goetz, S., & Daratha, K. B. (Jan. 2010). Obesity prevention in early adolescence. Journal of School Health, 80(1), pp. 13-19. Retrieved January 4, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

4. United States Department of Agriculture. (2009). Inside the pyramid. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html

5. United States Department of Health and Human Services & Department of Agriculture. (2005). Chapter 5: Food groups to encourage. Dietary Guidelines for Americans [online]. Retrieved January 10, 2009, from http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter5.htm

6. Wechsler, H., McKenna, M. L., Lee, S. M., & Dietz, W. H. (Dec. 2004). The role of schools in preventing childhood obesity. Retrieved January 10, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity/pdf/roleofschools_obesity.pdf