The role the school environment can play in reversing an alarming trend

Carol Bostrom, MT(ASCP)

MPH student

Walden University

PUBH 6165-1

Instructor: Dr. Howard Rubin, Ph.d.

Spring, 2011

Learning Objectives

Understand the facts surrounding childhood obesity

Realize your responsibility as stakeholders

Examine successful programs

Explore and implement a program for our schools

Childhood Obesity Facts

Increase of at least 50% since 19761

In 2004, 17% of U.S. children were overweight2

Females affected more than males3

More common in Caucasian children3

1Schonfeld-Warden & Warden (1997)2Centers for Disease Control (2006)3Barness (2007)

Causes of Childhood Obesity

Genetics

Parental obesity

Decrease in physical activity

Increase of food intake

Foster (2006)

Complications of Childhood Obesity

Lack of self-esteem

Clinical depression

Metabolic diseases

Cardiovascular diseases

Barness (2007)

Influences on food choices

School food environment1

Vending machines1

Food preferences and taste2

1Story, Neumark-Sztainer, & French (2002)2Magryta (2009)

Influence of school

Nutrition and physical activity curriculum1

Teacher and staff support1

Provide quality, nutritious food2

1Sutherland, Gill, & Binns (2004)2Boone-Heinonen, Gordon-Larsen, and Adair (2008)

Texas Public School Nutrition Policy

Impacted food and beverages sold in schools

Compared pre-policy and post-policy food records

Healthier food choices within 2 years

Significant reductions in fat and saturated fat

Behavior can be changed

Cullen and Watson (2009)

Rowan County School Food Program

Cost neutral changes

Nine menu items replaced with healthier alternatives

Successful taste test with elementary school children

Public acceptance was a key factor

Magryta (2009)

Let’s Move! http://www.letsmove.gov

Healthier foods in our schools

Increase breakfast program

Teaching the importance of nutrition

Chefs Move to School

HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC)

Let’s Move (n.d.)

SASD Student Wellness• The Souderton Area School District recognizes that student

wellness and proper nutrition are related to students’ physical well-being, growth, development, and readiness to learn.

• The Souderton Area School District is committed to the wellness of our students and community by implementing policies and programs that promote a balance of proper nutrition and regular physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.

• In a healthy school environment, students will learn about and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices that can improve student achievement.

SASD (2006)

HealthierUS School Challenge http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/

Food Quality

Nutritional education

Resources

School food suppliers

Monetary incentives

Let’s Move (n.d.)

HealthierUS School Challenge http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/

Sign up

Menu Planner for Healthy Schools Meals

Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition

Let’s Move (n.d.)

The 2,983 elementary age children of

SASD thank you!

SASD (2011)

References Barness, L. (2007). Obesity in Children. Fetal & Pediatric Pathology, 26(2), 75-

85. doi:10.1080/15513810701448755. Boone-Heinonen, J., Gordon-Larsen, P., & Adair, L. (2008). Obesogenic

Clusters: Multidimensional Adolescent Obesity-related Behaviors in the U.S. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 36(3), 217-230. doi:10.1007/s12160-008-9074-3.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2006). National Center for Health Statistics, Retrieved March 17, 2010 from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/overweight/overwght_child_03.htm

Cullen, K., & Watson, K.. (2009). The Impact of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy on Student Food Selection and Sales in Texas. American Journal of Public Health, 99(4), 706-12.  Retrieved April 14, 2011, from ProQuest Central. (Document ID: 1777828231).

Foster, G. (2006). The Behavioral approach to treating obesity. American Heart Journal, 151(3), doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2005.03.003

Let’s Move. (n.d.). Healthy Schools. Retrieved April 19, 2010, from http://www.letsmove.gov/activity/index.html

References Magryta, C.J. (2009). School lunches: a strategy to combat childhood obesity.

Explore, 5(6), 352-353. Souderton Area School District (SASD). (2006) Student Wellness. Retrieved April

20, 2011 from http://www.soudertonsd.org/district/board/SASDpolicy/SASDpolicy-246.pdf

Souderton Area School District (SASD). (2011). About Us. Retrieved April 20, 2011 from http://www.soudertonsd.org/district/about/#enroll

Schonfeld-Warden, N, & Warden, C. (1997). Pediatric obesity - an overview of etiology and treatment. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 44(2), 339-361.

Story, M., Neumark-Sztainer, D., & French, S. (2002). Individual and Environmental Influences on Adolescent Eating Behaviors. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 102S40-S51. doi:10.1016/S0002-8223(02)90421-9.

Sutherland, R., Gill, T., & Binns, C. (2004). Do parents, teachers and health professionals support school-based obesity prevention?. Nutrition & Dietetics, 61(3), 137-144. Retrieved April 25, 2010 from Academic Search Complete database.

Suggested Reading

http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/

http://www.letsmove.gov

Power, T., Bindler, R., Goetz, S., & Daratha, K. (2010). Obesity Prevention in Early Adolescence: Student, Parent, and Teacher Views. Journal of School Health, 80(1), 13-19. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2009.00461.x.