A presentation for Missouri school board members

Kari ThurmanMPH student

Walden UniversityPUBH 6165Dr. Heick

January 2010

Improving Elementary School Nutrition

Improving the nutritional status of elementary students

• Focus on grades K through 5

Learning Objectives

Identify problems with the nutritional status of our youth today.

Explain why schools play an important part in nourishing our youth.

Describe how schools can support healthy eating habits.

Identify ways your school can go above and beyond the lunch program to instill good nutritional habits.

How Our Youth Weighs In

Increase in obesity in 6 -11 year olds from 4% in the 1976 – 1980 NHANES survey to 17% in the 2003 – 2006 NHANES survey (CDC, 2009a)

ObesityBMI

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009, November 17). NHANES surveys 1976-1980 and 2003-2006. Retrieved January 21, 2010 from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/prevalence.htmlCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009, October 20). Defining childhood overweight and obesity. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/defining.html

Health Consequences

Type II diabetes mellitusHigh blood pressureHigh cholesterolPremature onset of pubertySleep apnea (Gidding et al., 1996)

Gidding, S. S., Leibel, R. L., Daniels, S., Rosenbaum, M., Van Horn, L., and Marx, G. R. (1996). Understanding obesity in youth. Circulation, 94, 3383-3387. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/94/12/3383

Psychosocial Problems

Social stigmatization

Poor self-image (Gidding et al., 1996; Missouri Coordinated School Health Coalition [MCSHC], n.d.)

Gidding, S. S., Leibel, R. L., Daniels, S., Rosenbaum, M., Van Horn, L., and Marx, G. R. (1996). Understanding obesity in youth. Circulation, 94, 3383-3387. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/94/12/3383Missouri Coordinated School Health Coalition. (n. d.). Promoting healthy weight in Missouri’s children. A guide for schools, families, and communities. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.healthykidsmo.org/resources/healthy_weight.pdf

Why Schools Need to Take Part

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) has written: “Health and success in school are interrelated. Schools cannot achieve their primary mission of education if students and staff are not healthy and fit physically, mentally, and socially.” (Wechsler, McKenna, Lee, & Dietz, 2004, pg. 4)

Wechsler, H., McKenna, M. L., Lee, S. M., and Dietz, W. H. (2004, December). The role of schools in preventing childhood obesity. The State Education Standard. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyYouth/physicalactivity/pdf/roleofschools_obesity.pdf

Why Schools Need to Take Part

Over 95% of young people are enrolled in schools (Wechsler, McKenna, Lee, & Dietz, 2004)

Positive correlation between academic performance and good nutrition and physical activity (MCSHC, n. d.)

Missouri Coordinated School Health Coalition. (n. d.). Promoting healthy weight in Missouri’s children: A guide for schools, families and communities. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.healthykidsmo.org/resources/healthy_weight.pdf Wechsler, H., McKenna, M. L., Lee, S. M., and Dietz, W. H. (2004, December). The role of schools in preventing childhood obesity. The State Education Standard. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyYouth/physicalactivity/pdf/roleofschools_obesity.pdf

Why Schools Need to Take Part

School-based nutrition education can help students acquire knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes about healthy eating

Schools can reinforce positive eating and give students a chance to practice healthy eating

Schools can implement comprehensive nutrition policies that demonstrate a coordinated effort on school health

(CDC, 2008)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, November 19). Healthy youth! Nutrition: School health guidelines. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/guidelines/summary.htm

How Schools Can Support Healthy Eating Habits

School food services should meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as well as exceed the minimum requirements for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program standards (NSLP/SBP)

Be sure that healthy and child appealing foods are available in meals, a la carte items, and classroom snacks

(MCSHC, n. d.)

Missouri Coordinated School Health Coalition. (n. d.). Promoting healthy weight in Missouri’s children: A guide for schools, families and communities. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.healthykidsmo.org/resources/healthy_weight.pdf

 

How Schools Can Support Healthy Eating Habits

Mandatory fruit/vegetable side with lunch - children often choose on preference

alone - repeated food exposure is often needed

to get children to try new foods (Knowledge of Nutrition and Activities for Communities in Kansas [KNACK], 2008)

Knowledge of Nutrition and Activities for Communities in Kansas. (2008, January 22). Shaping food preference and taste of young children. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.knackonline.org/news/2008/01/22/shaping-food-preference-and-t aste-of-young-children/

How Schools Can Support Healthy Eating Habits

Discourage food rewards in classrooms

Provide adequate time to eat meals in a safe,

pleasant environment Link with professionals (CDC, 2008)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, November 19). Healthy youth! Nutrition:

School health guidelines. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/guidelines/summary.htmMissouri Coordinated School Health Coalition. (n. d.). Promoting healthy weight in Missouri’s children: A guide for schools, families and communities. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.healthykidsmo.org/resources/healthy_weight.pdf

Going Above and Beyond

Yearly BMI measurements by school nurse (Schantz, 2007)

School garden (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO], 2008)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, November 19). Healthy youth! Nutrition: School health guidelines. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/guidelines/summary.htmFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2008). School gardens: Education and nutrition go together. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2005/104116/index.htmlSchantz, S. (2007, July). Child and adolescent obesity, BMI and the school nurse role. NASN Newsletter. Retrieved January 21, 2010 from http://www.nasn.org/Portals/0/education/scope_article.pdf

Role of School Board Members

Support the procurement of healthy food choices

Support nutritional educationEncourage collaboration among nutritional

services staff with health and physical education staff

(O’Toole, Anderson, Miller, & Guthrie, 2007)

O’Toole, T. P., Anderson, S., Miller, C., and Guthrie, J. (2007, October). Nutrition services and foods and beverages available at school: Results from the school health policies and programs study 2006. Journal of School Health, 77(8), 500 – 521.

Learning Objectives Revisited

Identify problems with the nutritional status of our youth today.

Explain why schools play an important part in nourishing our youth.

Describe how schools can support healthy eating habits.

Identify ways your school can go above and beyond the lunch program to instill good nutritional habits.

Questions?

Additional Resources

USDA’s Team Nutrition: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on childhood obesity: http://www.dhss.mo.gov/Obesity/Childhood.html

National School Lunch Program: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/AboutLunch/NSLPFactsheet.pdf

School Nutrition Association: http://www.schoolnutrition.org/

ReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, November 19). Healthy youth!

Nutrition: School health guidelines. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/guidelines/summary.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009, November 17). NHANES surveys (1976-1980 and 2003-2006). Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/prevalence.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009, October 20). Defining childhood overweight and obesity. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/defining.html

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2008). School gardens: Education and nutrition go together. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2005/104116/index.html

ReferencesGidding, S. S., Leibel, R. L., Daniels, S., Rosenbaum, M., Van Horn, L., and

Marx, G. R. (1996). Understanding obesity in youth. Circulation, 94,

3383-3387. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/94/12/3383

Knowledge of Nutrition and Activities for Communities in Kansas. (2008, January 22).

Shaping food preference and taste of young children. Retrieved January 21, 2010,

from http://www.knackonline.org/news/2008/01/22/shaping-food-preference-and-taste-of-young-children/

Missouri Coordinated School Health Coalition. (n. d.). Promoting healthy

weight in Missouri’s children: A guide for schools, families and

communities. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from

http://www.healthykidsmo.org/resources/healthy_weight.pdf

ReferencesO’Toole, T. P., Anderson, S., Miller, C., and Guthrie, J. (2007, October).

Nutrition services and foods and beverages available at school: Results from the school health policies and programs study 2006. Journal of School Health, 77(8), 500 – 521.

Schantz, S. (2007, July). Child and adolescent obesity, BMI and the school nurse role.

NASN Newsletter. Retrieved January 21, 2010 from

http://www.nasn.org/Portals/0/education/scope_article.pdf

Wechsler, H., McKenna, M. L., Lee, S. M., and Dietz, W. H. (2004, December). The role of

schools in preventing childhood obesity. The State Education Standard. Retrieved January 21, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyYouth/physicalactivity/pdf/roleofschools_obesity.pdf