Growing Healthy Schools

Pathways toward implementing wellness in school communities and beyond

Keene Central School, NY

Growing Healthy Schools:

Assessing the Need The Benefits of Wellness Programs in Schools Support and Incentive: Existing Policies and Programs Cultivating Success

Assessing the Need

At-Large Community

Diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adolescents; about 151,000 people below the age of 20 years have diabetes. When diabetes strikes during childhood, it is routinely assumed to be type 1, or juvenile-onset diabetes. However, in the last 2 decades, type 2 diabetes (formerly known as adult-onset diabetes) has been reported among U.S. children and adolescents with increasing frequency. Studies conducted in Europe showed an increase in the frequency of type 1 diabetes, especially in young children.
Center for Disease Control, 2011

Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1% Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.3,6 Obese youth are more at risk for associated adult health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.

Center for Disease Control, 2011

2003 Center For Disease Control

2007 Center for Disease Control

Assessing the Need

The Client

School Lunches
Compared with kids who brought lunch from home, those who ate school lunches: Were more likely to be overweight or obese (38.2% vs. 24.7%) Were more likely to eat two or more servings of fatty meats like fried chicken or hot dogs daily (6.2% vs. 1.6%) Were more likely to have two or more sugary drinks a day (19% vs. 6.8%) Were less likely to eat at least two servings of fruits a day (32.6% vs. 49.4%) Were less likely to eat at least two servings of vegetables a day (39.9% vs. 50.3%) Had higher levels of LDL cholesterol
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and the Healthy School Lunch Campaign

There is widespread agreement among nutrition experts that fruits, vegetables, and whole grains promote health and help prevent the development of many chronic diseases. But by the USDAs own data, fewer than 2% of children met the USDA recommendations for fruit, vegetable, and whole grain consumption in 2001 (USDA 2001). Furthermore, national studies in 2003 found that more than 75% of schools exceeded the requirement that only 30% of calories come from fat (GAO 2003).
Demas, Kindermann, Pimente

On average, 40% of students in Southeastern Ohio participate in the National Free and Reduced Lunch Program (NSLP)

Current School Lunch

Chicken Patty: boneless chicken breast with rib meat, water, modified food starch, flavor hydrolyzed soy, and corn gluten, protein, salt, maltodextrin, sugar, corn syrup solids, wheat flour, citric acid, sodium diacetate, dextrose, lactose, chicken flavor, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, natural and artificial flavors, autolyzed yeast extract, corn starch, lactic acid and sesame oil, sodium phosphates, white pepper, breaded with enriched wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, water, salt, spies, whey, leavering, sodium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate,wheat gluten, dried egg whites, dextrose, onion powder, paprika, breading set in vegetable oil. Hamburger Bun: Wheat flour, water, yeast, high fructose corn syrup or sugar,yeast, soybean oil, contains 2% or less of: ferrous sulfate (iron) B vitamins, (niacin, thiamine mononitrate (B1), riboflavin (B2), folic acid), barley malt, wheat gluten, salt, calcium sulfate, dough conditioners (sodium stearoyl lactylate, ethoxylated mono and diglycerides, detem, mono and diglycerides, calcium dioxide, sorbic acid and/or azodicarbonamide), vinegar, yeast nutrients ( ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, monocalcium phosphate and/or calcium carbonate), cornstarch, wheat starch, soy flour, whey, calcium propionate (to retain freshness), soy lecithin. Apple Sauce: Apples, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and water. Ketchup: Tomato concentrate made from vine ripened tomatoes, high fructose, corn syrup, distilled vinegar, corn syrup, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, natural flavors.

The Benefits of School Based Wellness Programs

The things we have to learn before we do them, we learn by doing them. - Aristotle

Consumption of fruits and vegetables, as a habit in childhood, is an important predictor of higher fruit and vegetable consumption as adults and can help to prevent or delay chronic disease conditions. Heimendinger & Van Duyn (1995)

MEAL NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS: STANDARD MEAL COMPARED TO ALTERNATIVE MEAL Nutrient Standard menu values Calories Total fat / saturated fat Sodium Cholesterol Total Carbohydrate Protein Fiber 680 26.7 g / 9.0 g 1,416 mg 43 mg 88.8 g 27.5 g 5.1 g Healthy alternative values 366 4.4 g / 0.8 g 750 mg 13 mg 71.8 g 13.5 g 15.5 g

Note: Menu analysis done by Melissa Mahoney, dietician, Baltimore City Public Schools, using USDA Nutri-kids software. Proportions for the standard meal included 1 white roll, 1 hot dog, 1/2 cup tater tots, 1/2 cup canned fruit in syrup, and 1/2 pint strawberry milk; the alternative meal included 1 cup casserole, 1 piece of cornbread, 1/2 cup cabbage salad, and 1 baked apple

Third, fourth, and fifth grade students who participated in school gardening activities scored significantly higher on science achievement tests compared to students that did not experience any garden-based learning activities. Klemmer et al. (2005)

Cornell Dept. of Horticulture

Students who ate an adequate amount of fruit, vegetables, protein, fiber and other components of a healthy diet were significantly less likely to fail a literacy test, Dr. Paul J. Veugelers of the University of Alberta in Edmonton and colleagues found.
Journal of School Health, April 2008

Parents who are highly involved at school are more likely to be involved in educational activities with their children at home. -National Center for Educational Statistics (1997)

Support and Incentive:

Existing Policies and Programs

CHILD NUTRITION REAUTHORIZATION HEALTHY, HUNGER-FREE KIDS ACT OF 2010

Improves Nutrition and Focuses on Reducing Childhood Obesity Provides additional funding to schools that meet updated nutritional standards for federally subsidized lunches. Helps communities establish local farm to school networks, create school gardens, and ensures that more local foods are used in the school setting. Builds on USDA work to improve nutritional quality of commodity foods that schools receive from USDA and use in their breakfast and lunch programs. Expands access to drinking water in schools, particularly during meal times. Sets basic standards for school wellness policies including goals for nutrition promotion and education and physical activity, while still permitting local flexibility to tailor the policies to their particular needs. Increases Access Increases Program Monitoring and Integrity

Team Nutrition: HealthierUS Challenge

The goal of the (HUSSC) is to improve the health of the Nations children by promoting healthier school environments. To help meet the goal, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) identifies schools that have made changes to improve the quality of the foods served, provide students with nutrition education, and provide students with physical education and opportunities for physical activity.

Chefs Move to Schools

The Chefs Move to Schools program, run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will help chefs partner with interested schools in their communities so together they can create healthy meals that meet the schools dietary guidelines and budgets, while teaching young people about nutrition and making balanced and healthy choices.

ODA- Farm to School

F2S initiatives involve connecting schools with local farms by bringing fresh, nutritious foods from local farms into school cafeterias and by offering students experiential learning opportunities through farm visits, food and nutrition educational activities, and an incorporated nutrition education curriculum. Such initiatives serve both to help support local farmers and keep food dollars in local economies, and to help create a generation of informed food consumers informed of the nutritional significance of their food choices, but also the economic, environmental, and social impact. The Department of Agriculture and Ohio Food Policy Council have developed a resource guide for Farm-to-School. This resource provides background information on farm-to-school programs, the benefits they offer, key principles, how to begin and sustain a program, potential obstacles and solutions, national and Ohio based resources and much more.

Ohio Action For Healthy Kids

Action for Healthy Kids fights childhood obesity and undernourishment by partnering with schools to improve nutrition and physical activity to help our kids learn to eat right, be active every day, and be ready to learn. The Ohio Action for Healthy Kids Team has three goals: Increase the number of children eating school breakfast Improve nutritious snack options in schools, and Increase opportunity for physical activity during the school day.

Food & Garden Based Curriculum

Food Is Elementary
Food is Elementary (FIE) is a unique and vibrant curriculum introduced into schools and communities that teach children aboutfood, nutrition, culture, and healthy living by: Educating children about the relationship between food choices and disease prevention Encouraging a child's natural curiosity and creativity to be the foundation of learning Providing children with the life skill of food preparation through hands-on interactive experience Introducing healthful foods through the traditions and arts of different cultures Involving families and community in classroom teaching, school meals, gardens, and collaborative mural projects

The Growing Classroom

The Growing Classroom is a teacher's manual featuring step-by-step instructions and strategies for setting up a garden-based science program and outdoor classroom activities. Topics include planning a garden laboratory, facilitating investigative lessons on ecology and nutrition, and involving the community. Includes an expanded gardening resource section; grades 2-6.

Cultivate!

Form Wellness Team

Visioning

The Design

Implement

Food Matters Curriculum Farm to Fork

Food Is Elementary Community Education

Appalachian Green Teachers Environmental Education

Lesson Plans Educator Training

Molly Jo Stanley Edible Schoolyard Project/ Farm to School Coordinator Community Food Initiatives Athens, Ohio s.mollyjo@gmail.com www.communityfoodinitiatives.org

More Resources