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.