Transcript SCHOOL PROGRAMS HELP KIDS STAY FIT, HEALTHY

SCHOOL PROGRAMS
HELP KIDS STAY FIT,
HEALTHY
Retrieved from Medline Plus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullsto
ry_23310.html
Author: Alison McCook
Wednesday, March 2, 2005
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.
Childhood Obesity

About 15.5 % of adolescents
(ages12-19) are obese.
16%
14%
12%

15.3% of children (ages 6-11)
are obese.
Prevalence of
Obese Children
(Ages 6-11)
Prevelence of
Obese
Adolescents
10%
8%
6%
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The increase in obesity
among American youth over
the last 2 decades is dramatic.
4%
2%
0%
1976- 1988- 19991980 1994 2000
Childhood Obesity
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 overexposure 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.
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
School Programs Help Kids Stay
Fit, Healthy
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“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)