Healthy Students Healthy Schools

WHY SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED?

• Unhealthy foods have replaced nutritious foods in children’s diets. • Average child - 6 hours a day in front of a screen.

• 26% of Canadian youth are overweight, 36% in NL & Lab. • Early onset of adult diseases (Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack) • Academic performance is affected.

The Solution ???

Over 90% of type 2 diabetes and 80% of coronary heart disease could be avoided or postponed with: 1. good nutrition, 2. regular physical exercise, 3. elimination of smoking.

The Integrated Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy

Better Nutrition

School Food Guidelines & Nutrition Policy (revised) • Energy Drinks • Special Occasions • Outside Groups • Local committee or individual to monitor

More Physical Activity

• Scheduled Physical Education K – 6 (6%) 7 – 9 (5%) 5 day cycle 6 day cycle 7 day cycle 90 minutes 108 minutes 126 minutes 75 minutes 90 minutes 105 minutes 14 day cycle 252 minutes • Extra-Curricular Activities (intramurals, clubs) 210 minutes • Monthly School Challenges (Stepping Out) • Active School Playgrounds • Daily Physical Activity

DPA Pilot Program 2008

• 6 Primary/Elementary Schools • 67 Classroom Teachers, 1000 students • Cost $65,000 • Funding to expand to 6 – 10 more schools this year in Corner Brook – Bay of Islands area

Linking Movement to Outcomes

• Science: Playing tag to teach food chain concept • Math: Adding 3 jumping jacks to 3 jumping jacks • L. Arts: Demonstrate adverbs by moving • S. Stud. Imaginary walk with class across region • Music Use songs to get students up and moving • Health Activity used to address health outcomes • Review Student with correct answer rolls the dice to determine movement of the group

Support for Teachers

• One Day Training sessions to help classroom teachers learn about Active Learning and how to incorporate physical activity into the curriculum • A Resource Kit ($200 value) for each classroom teacher • A Facilitator to visit classrooms to assist teachers and work with students once a week at each school

What the Research Says

Physical education is linked to academic achievement for both physiological and behavioral reasons. Exercise programs can: – Provide increased blood flow to the brain, – Foster positive classroom behaviors. This may enable better classroom participation and concentration skills and decrease disruptive behavior, which would result in improved learning.

Susan Carlson, Journal of Amercican Public Health, USA Today, March, 2008

What the Research Says

A recent study of 33 Ontario schools involved in a Healthy Living initiative in which students exercised every day, played extra sports, and were discouraged from eating junk food, saw overall test scores climb by 18% over two years in reading, writing, and math. This compares to a growth of 4% for similar schools not in the health program. “Children don’t become brighter because they’re physically active, but they are less tired, less agitated, less stressed, and less sick. Physically active kids are in a better condition for learning .” Professor G. Fishburne, Globe and Mail, January 2007

What Teachers Say

• On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being Very Poor and 5 being Excellent), how would you rate the DPA inservice? 82 responses: Average Rating: 4.96

• Outside of Physical Education class, how many minutes per day (on average) are students physically active during class time, i.e. afternoon stretch?

Pre- Pilot: 73% of teachers did no activity at all Post – Pilot: 66% of teachers did 20 minutes/ day

• The Daily Physical Activity Pilot has been effective in helping the students to achieve learning outcomes.

91% of teachers agree

Cause for Optimism!!!

Schools in Annapolis Valley reduced overweight in students by 59% in 3 years.

 Halt to the sale of soft drinks  Healthy lunches  Training of staff 

More physical education

 Health & nutrition education  Parental involvement