SCHOOL PROGRAMS HELP KIDS STAY FIT, HEALTHY

1. SCHOOL PROGRAMS HELP KIDS STAY FIT, HEALTHY Retrieved from Medline Plus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_23310.html Author: Alison McCook Wednesday, March 2, 2005

2. School Programs Help Kids Stay Fit, Healthy • Schools with programs that encourage kids to eat well and exercise tend to have a much healthier and fitter student body • Canadian research found that fifth-graders attending schools with these programs were less likely to be overweight or obese, ate healthier, and were more active than other fifth-graders.

3. Childhood Obesity • About 15.5 % of adolescents (ages12-19) are obese. • 15.3% of children (ages 6-11) are obese. • The increase in obesity among American youth over the last 2 decades is dramatic.

4. Causes: Physical Activity - Lack of Physical Exercise. Sedintary Behavior – TV watching, computer usage and similar behaviors that take up time that can be used for physical activity. Socioeconomic Status- Low family incomes and non-working parents. Eating Habits – Over-consumption of high-calorie foods and Eating when not hungry. Environment – Some factors of over-exposure to advertising of foods that promote high-calorie foods and lack of recreational facilities. Genetics – Greater risk of obesity has been found in children of obese and overweigh parents. Prevention Teaching healthy behaviors at a young age is important since change becomes more difficult with age. Behaviors including physical activity and nutrition are cornerstones of preventing obesity in children and adolescents. Families and schools are the two most critical links in providing the foundation for those behaviors. Childhood Obesity

5. Establish policies that promote enjoyable, lifelong physical activity Schools should require daily physical activity and comprehensive health education (K-12). Provide physical and social environments that encourage and enable young people to engage in safe and enjoyable physical activities. Impliment sequential physical education curricula and instruction in grades K-12 • That emphasize activities such as walking and dancing. • Help students develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to adopt and maintain a physically active lifestyle. • Keep students active for most of the class time. Extracurricular Activities that provide diverse, developmentally appropriate competitive and noncompetitive games Encourage parents and guardians to support their children’s participation Provide training to teachers, coaches, recreation and health care staff so they may promote enjoyable, lifelong physical activity among young people. Regulate evaluate physical activity instruction, programs and facility

6. School Programs Help Kids Stay Fit, Healthy • “Although the programs cost extra money, it’s worth the investment…If you grow healthy kids, they’ll be healthy for life.” (Dr. Paul J. Veugelers) • The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created guidelines for schools about how to keep their students healthy. • They recommend – at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, cafeterias serve only healthy foods, and schools rid of their vending machines of candy, soda and other junk food. • A study showed that of 5,200 fifth graders, their parents and the school principals in 282 public schools only 73 schools offered healthier school meals, while 7 schools incorporated all of the CDC recommendations. • Those 7 schools showed lower rates of obesity and overweight students, they ate healthier, and were more physically active than the students at schools with no nutrition programs. • Some people have raised concerns that including physical activity and nutrition education into school curriculum takes too much time away from other subjects such as history and math. However others argue that “healthy kids learn better”. Further studies are needed to resolve that matter. (Veugelers)