Comprehensive School Wellness Program

1. Comprehensive School Wellness Program

2. WHY the Focus on Local Wellness Policies? • The prevalence of overweight among children aged 6–11 has more than doubled in the past 20 years • Overweight children and adolescents are more likely to remain overweight or become obese adults and develop chronic disease • One in three American children born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime

3. DID YOU KNOW???? • Overweight children miss an average of 1 day per month more of school than their average weight counterparts. ***National School Boards Association***

9. The National Picture

10. U.S. Prevalence of Recommended Physical Activity (Moderate intensity, 30 min, 5 day/week)

12. Overfed But Undernourished % Children Consuming Daily Recommended Intake Critical Age Iron Phosphorus Zinc Vitamin C Vitamin A Magnesium Folate Calcium Data compiled by Dr. John Lasekan, Ross Labs NHANES 1999-2000 and the Continuing Food Survey 1994-96, 1998

13. Percentage of students who attended physical education class daily.

14. Percentage of students who ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day during the past seven days

15. Effects of Improving Nutrition on Learning • Improved behavior. • Improved attendance(A single-day absence by just one student can cost a school district anywhere from $9 to $20). • Less visits to school nurse. • Increased attention, creativity and test scores. • Essential for growth and development.

16. Nearly two-thirds of parents support restricting access to high-calorie, low-nutrient snack foods in schools, and half of parents feel their child’s school is doing an “excellent” to “good” job in this area, according to a 2005 Action for Healthy Kids national public opinion survey. • However, the CDCP report that between 60% and 95% of schools allow students to purchase snack foods or beverages from vending machines or at the school store, canteen, or snack bar. • Another illustration of a “disconnect” between parents’ priorities and perceptions and what actually happens at school occurs in the area of physical activity. Seventy-seven percent of parents support requiring daily physical education for all children, and 62% rate their child’s school as “excellent” or “good” on “making daily physical education available for all students.” However, in reality only 5.8 to 8.0% of schools nationally (depending on grade level) provide students with daily physical education. • 83% of parents are unaware of the Local Wellness Policy mandate required by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorizaton Act of 2004

17. Snapshot of Schools • 55 million students attend U.S. schools • 35-40% of daily energy consumed at school • School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs (USDA) are effective • Competitive foods -- a la carte, vended foods, school stores -- dilute school’s power • “Open” lunches – promote fast-food French, Am J Pub Health 2003; 93:1161

18. Competitive Foods • 90% of schools offer a la carte lunch • Vending machines for students • 76% of high schools • 55% of middle schools • 15% of elementary schools • School stores, snack bars or canteens • 41% of high schools • 35% of middle schools • 9% of elementary schools • School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study, 2001

19. A la carte Foods Affect Diet Quality • Non-participants in NSLP consume 3x more sugars (21% vs 64%) • Top sellers: pizza, chips, soda, french fries, candy and ice cream • Access to a la carte and snack bar meals = • lower fruit, vegetable and milk • higher sweetened beverages and fried veggies Cullen, Am J Pub Health 2004; 94:463

20. Plan The Menu • Policy must include the following: 1a. Nutrition education goals 1b. Physical activity goals 1c. Other school-based activities 2. Nutrition guidelines/standards 3. Assurances that USDA school meals guidelines are being met 4. Plan for measuring implementation • Designation of 1 or more people to ensure wellness policy is being met at all school buildings • We recommend having a specific workgroup designated to work on each of the above sections.

21. 1a. Nutrition Education Goals • The primary goal of nutrition education is to influence students' eating behaviors. The following should be considered when establishing nutrition education policy language: • Students in grades pre-K -12 receive nutrition education that is interactive and teaches the skills they need to adopt healthy eating behaviors. • Nutrition education is offered in the school dining room as well as in the classroom, with coordination between the foodservice staff and teachers. • Students receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the school, classroom, cafeteria, home, community and media. http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/policy_component1.html

22. 1a. Nutrition Education Goals • State and district health education curriculum standards and guidelines include both nutrition and physical education. • Nutrition is integrated into the health education curricula or core curriculum (e.g., math, science, language arts). • Schools link nutrition education activities with the coordinated school health program. • Staff who provide nutrition education have appropriate training. • Schools are Team Nutrition Schools and they conduct nutrition education activities and promotions that involve parents, students, and the community.

23. Nutrition Education(sample language) • Nutrition education is offered in the classroom and is linked to the school cafeteria, school garden and local farms, with coordination between teachers and foodservice staff. • Students receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the school environment.

24. Sample Categories for Policy: • Nutrition Education • Physical Activity • Other School Based Activities • Nutrition Guidelines for All Foods on Campus • Eating Environment • Child Nutrition Operations • Food Safety/Food Security

25. Nutrition Enhances Achievement Comprehensive School Health • Reading and math scores of third and fourth grade students with comprehensive health education were significantly higher. • Schoener, Guerrero, and Whitney, 1988 School Breakfast Programs • Increase learning and academic achievement, improve student attention to academic tasks, reduce visits to the school nurse, decrease behavioral problems. • Murphy, Pagano, Nachmani,Sperling, Kane, and Kleinman, 1998 • Positively impact academic performance, absenteeism, and tardiness among low-income elementary school students. • Meyers, Sampson, Weitzman, Rogers, and Kayne, 1989 • Enhanced daily nutrient intake and improved nutrient intake were associated with significant improvements in academic performance and psychosocial functioning and decreases in hunger. R.E. Kleinman et al, Annals of Nutrition and Metebolism; 2002.

26. Sample Policy Language: Nutrition Guidelines • Foods • A food item sold individually: • will have no more than 30% of its calories from fat (excluding nuts, seeds, peanut butter, and other nut butters) and 10% of its calories from saturated and trans fat combined; • will have no more than 33% of its weight from added sugars;8 • will contain no more than 230 mg of sodium per serving for chips, cereals, crackers, French fries, baked goods, and other snack items; will contain no more than 480 mg of sodium per serving for pastas, meats, and soups; and will contain no more than 600 mg of sodium for pizza, sandwiches, and main dishes.

27. Sample Vending Machine Nutritional Guideline Language: • Vending sales of pop or artificially sweetened drinks will not be permitted on school grounds. • The nonvending sale of pop or artificially sweetened drinks will not be permitted on school grounds both prior to the start of the school day and throughout the instructional day, but will be permitted at those special school events that begin after the conclusion of the instructional day. • The vending sale of beverages, other than soda, with less than 10% fruit juice may begin at the conclusion of the instructional day. • Milk, water, and 100% fruit juices may be sold on school grounds both prior to and throughout the instructional day. This standard will be phased-in over the next three school years in the following manner: • o 2003-04School Year: Milk, water, and beverages containing 10% fruit juice with artificial sweetener may be sold on school grounds both prior to and throughout the instructional day. • o 2004-05School Year: Milk, water, and beverages containing 25% fruit juice may be sold on school grounds both prior to and throughout the instructional day. • o 2005-06 School Year: Milk, water, and beverages containing 100% fruit juice may be sold on school grounds both prior to and throughout the instructional day.

28. Sample Policy Language: Nutrition Education Goals The primary goal of nutrition education is to influence students' eating behaviors. Consider the following • Grades pre-K -12 receive nutrition education that is interactive and teaches the skills they need to adopt healthy eating behaviors. • Nutrition education is offered in the school dining room as well as in the classroom, with coordination between the foodservice staff and teachers. • Students receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the school, classroom, cafeteria, home, community and media. • Nutrition is integrated into the health education curricula or core curriculum (e.g., math, science, language arts). • Staff who provide nutrition education have appropriate training. http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/policy_component1.html

30. Physical Education, Too • Students who participated in school physical education programs did not experience a harmful effect on their standardized test scores, though less time was available for other academic subjects. • Sallis, McKenzie, Kolody, Lewis, Marshall, and Rosengard, 1999; Shephard, 1996; Dwyer, Coonan, Leitch, Hetzel,and Baghurst, 1983. • Physical activity is positively associated with academic performance. • Dwyer, Blizzard, and Dean, 1996 • Regular (3 – 5 times per week) periods of moderate to vigorous physical activity enhances the health, academic performance, attitudes and classroom behavior of children at school. Physical education programs are valuable to students and teachers. • Keays JJ, Allison KR; Canadian Journal of Public Health; 1995

31. Physical Activity(sample language) • Students are provided opportunities for physical activity during the school day through daily recess periods, elective physical education (PE) classes, working in the school garden, walking programs, and the integration of physical activity into the academic curriculum.

32. Physical Activity: • Is time provided during the school day for all children to participate in a structured physical education program? • Are adults and parents encouraged to engage in physical activity programs with students? • Do teachers provide time for unstructured physical activity during recess? • Is recess scheduled before lunch or other meal periods to encourage better consumption of meals? • Do children have access to recreational facilities before and after school hours and during vacation periods? • Are physical activities coordinated with community agencies? • Is the school setting safe for walking and/or biking to and from school?

33. 1b. Physical Activity Goals • The primary goal for a school's physical activity component is to provide opportunities for every student to develop the knowledge and skills for specific physical activities, maintain physical fitness, regularly participate in physical activity, and understand the short- and long-term benefits of a physically active and healthful lifestyle. • The following examples of policy language should be considered when setting goals for physical activity. • At a minimum, students should have 60 minutes of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.

34. 1b. Physical Activity Goals • Students should be given opportunities for physical activity during the school day through daily recess periods, elective physical education (PE) classes, walking programs, and the integration of physical activity into the academic curriculum. • Students should be given opportunities for physical activity through a range of after-school programs including intramurals, interscholastic athletics, and physical activity clubs. • Schools should work with the community to create an environment that is safe and supportive of students' physically active commute to and from school.

35. Sample Policy Language: Physical Activity • At a minimum, students have 60 minutes of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. • All elementary school students will have at least 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which schools should encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity verbally and through the provision of space and equipment. • All elementary, middle, and high schools will offer extracurricular physical activity programs, such as physical activity clubs or intramural programs.

36. Practical Suggestions • Extension Activities (outside of PE) • Low-equipment weight training • Stretching

37. Other School Based Activities Policies established under this category create an environment that provides consistent wellness messages and is conducive to healthy eating and being physically active. Some examples of policy language include: • Provide a clean, safe, enjoyable meal environment for students. • Provide adequate time for students to enjoy eating healthy foods with friends, scheduled as near the middle of the school day as possible. • Prohibit use of food as a reward or punishment. • Provide enough space and serving areas to ensure student access to school meals with a minimum of wait time. • Prohibit denial of student participation in recess or other physical activity as a form of discipline, or cancellation of recess or other physical activity time for instructional make-up time.

38. Other School-Based Activitiesto Address • Involving parents – “KIDS IMITATE PARENTS” • Adequate time and pleasant surrounding for meals • Classroom parties and special events • Fundraising events • Using food as a reward or punishment • School environment (composting, water etc.) • School gardens • Connections with local farms for fresh food and educational opportunities (Farm to School) • Community resources/alliances

39. 1c. Other School Based Activities • Policies established under this category create a school environment that provides consistent wellness messages and is conducive to healthy eating and being physically active. Examples of policy language include: • Provide a clean, safe, enjoyable meal environment for students. • Provide adequate time for students to enjoy eating healthy foods with friends, scheduled as near the middle of the school day as possible. • Prohibit use of food as a reward or punishment. • Provide enough space and serving areas to ensure student access to school meals with a minimum of wait time. • Prohibit denial of student participation in recess or other physical activity as a form of discipline, or cancellation of recess or other physical activity time for instructional make-up time.

40. 1c. Other School Based Activities • Ensure fundraising efforts are supportive of healthy eating. • Provide on-going professional training and development for foodservice staff and teachers in the areas of nutrition and physical education. • Provide student access to physical activity facilities outside school hours. • Schedule recess for elementary grades before lunch so that children will come to lunch less distracted and ready to eat. • Develop strategies for parents, teachers, school administrators, students, foodservice professionals, and community members to serve as role models in practicing healthy eating and being physically active, both in school and at home.

42. Step 4 – Other School-Based Activities • This section of the template is designed to help you select specific Other School-Based Activities policy statements for your school district. A list of suggested policy statements is included. Here are the tasks for step 4: • Prepare for the project. Prior to starting the project you will need to do some homework: • Read background information. At the end of the Other School-Based Activities section you’ll find a page describing some of the current issues on the topic. Read this information to get ready for the project. • Research the topic. A list of helpful Internet links is also at the end of the section. Check these out to be prepared for the project. • Gather district information. Team members will need to know what current practices are in place in the District. Find out about snack and soft drink sales, fund-raising activities. Research food reward practices. • Conduct a team discussion. Using the Discussion Guide, talk about the important issues under each topic area. • Review the Suggested Policy Statements. Select policy statements that are suitable for the district.

43. Other School-Based Activities • Select the policy statements which are appropriate for the District. After you check the policy statements you should copy them into the District Wellness Policy, Action Steps, the Implementation Timeline and the Assessment Tool. • If you wish to modify a policy statement, you can do so on this page or on the District Wellness Policy page. Additional policy statements may also be added. • School dining areas have sufficient space for students to sit and consume meals. • School dining areas are clean, safe and pleasant environments that reflective the value of the social aspects of eating. • Enough serving areas are provided to ensure student access to school meals with a minimum of wait time. • Meal times are scheduled near the middle of the day. • Students are given adequate time to enjoy eating healthy meals with friends. • Food or physical activity is not used as a reward or punishment. • Recess or other physical activity is not denied as a form of discipline. • Recess or other physical activity time is not cancelled for instructional make-up time. • The District has adopted nutrient standards for all foods sold on school campuses. • Pouring-rights contracts soft drink companies are not allowed.

44. Section 204 of Public Law 108-265􀂲June 30, 2004 • Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004

45. Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act • Signed by President Bush on June 30, 2004. • Section 204 of this Act requires each district participating in the USDA School Meal Program to have established a local school wellness policy by the school year beginning July 2006.

46. 2. Nutrition Guidelines/Standards • Students' lifelong eating habits are greatly influenced by the types of foods and beverages available to them. • Standards must be established to address all foods and beverages sold or served to students, including those available outside of the school meal programs. • The following items should be considered when setting nutrition standards for all available foods during the school day. These standards should focus on increasing nutrient density, decreasing fat and added sugars, and moderating portion size. • Set guidelines for foods and beverages in a la carte sales in the food service program on school campuses. • Set guidelines for foods and beverages sold in vending machines, snack bars, school stores, and concession stands on school campuses. • Set guidelines for foods and beverages sold as part of school-sponsored fundraising activities. • Set guidelines for refreshments served at parties, celebrations, and meetings during the school day.

47. School Wellness Policy Provisions Requirement #2 • Nutrition guidelines for all foods available during the school day: • school meals • a la carte foods, • vending machines, • snack bars, school stores, concession stands • any school-sponsored fundraising activities

48. School Wellness Policy Provisions Requirement #3 • Assurance that nutrition guidelines for school meals will not be less restrictive than federal regulations.

49. 3. Assurance that School Meals Meet USDA Standards • Schools must ensure that reimbursable school meals meet the program requirements and nutrition standards set forth under the 7 CFR Part 210 and Part 220.

50. 4. Plan for Measuring Implementation • Establish a plan for measuring implementation of the local wellness policy • Including designation of 1 or more persons within the local educational agency or at each school, as appropriate, charged with operational responsibility for ensuring that the school meets the local wellness policy. • Recommendation - periodically assess how well the policy is being managed and enforced, and evaluate any financial impact to vending policies. Evaluation and feedback are very important in maintaining a sound, school wellness policy.