USD #412 Wellness Policy
by Gayle Tacha
June 18, 2008
Good nutrition during the school years is vitally important for children to grow strong, succeed in school and establish healthy habits for a lifetime. Schools alone cannot solve the nutritional problems of children. It takes the combined efforts of families, schools, communities, government agencies, health providers, the food industry and the media to make significant progress. The US Congress and the Kansas Legislature recognized this important role when they passed the laws requiring all school districts to develop wellness plans.
KANSAS SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICY GUIDELINES
Public Law 108-265,
re-authorized federal Child Nutrition Programs, which include the
National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Section
204 of this law required that not later than the beginning of the
2006-07 school year, local educational agencies participating in
the school meal programs must establish a local “school wellness
policy” that, at a minimum:
1. Includes nutrition guidelines for all foods available on the
school campus during the school day;
2. Provides an assurance that guidelines for school meals are not
less restrictive than those set by the US Secretary of
Agriculture;
3. Includes goals for nutrition education, physical activity and
other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness
in a manner that the local educational agency determines
appropriate;
4. Establishes a plan for measuring implementation of the local
wellness policy; and
5. Involved parents, students and representatives if the “school
food authority” (i.e. school nutrition program), the school board,
school administration and the public in development of the local
wellness policy.
Why the emphasis on wellness?
• Close to 9 million children
and adolescents in the US are overweight.
• The number of overweight children aged 6 to 11 years has more
than doubled in the past 20 years.
• The number of adolescents aged 12 to 19 who are overweight has
tripled in the past 20 years.
• Overweight children and teens are more likely to become
overweight adults.
• The consequences of being overweight may include:
o Type 2 diabetes
o Heart disease
o High blood pressure
o Stroke
o Some types of cancer
o Gallbladder disease
The Kansas Health Institute indicates that the cost of treating obesity related medical problems in Kansas in 2004 was $657 million dollars. This level of spending cannot be sustained without serious financial implications.
Poor eating habits also put
people at risk for other medical problems. Young people who do not
get enough calcium are at greater risk for developing osteoporosis
later in life.
• 85 percent of American females do not consume enough calcium.
During the past 25 years, consumption of milk, the largest source
of calcium, decreased 36 percent among adolescent females and
average daily soft drink consumption doubled, increasing from 6 to
11 ounces daily, and almost tripled among adolescent boys, from 7
to 19 ounces daily.
• An estimated 7 to 8 percent of females in the US suffer from anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia nervosa in their lifetimes.
• Poor eating habits contribute to dental caries, which remains a major cause of school absences.
The good news is that all of these health problems are preventable with proper diet and adequate physical activity.
Hoxie Community Schools implemented their Wellness Plan in July 2006. Each July we are asked to update our plan and implement more positive changes.
Our food service department is consistently ranking in the “advanced” and in most cases “exemplary” status on the state reports. Our Food Service Director continues to look for new food items and ways to improve our menus to meet the state guidelines.
Some of our changes have included reducing the number of soft drink choices from the vending machines and increasing healthier alternative choices in the machines. We also contacted our snack vendor and worked with them to meet the guidelines for vended food items. We also required teachers to use non-food related rewards and incentives in their classrooms. At the elementary level we have also encouraged room mothers to follow the snack guidelines when planning classroom parties.
Snack guidelines per
serving:
• Fat – Except for nuts, seeds and nut butters, 35% or less of
total calories from fat (or less than 4 g. per 100 calories)
• Sugar – Except for fruit without added sugar, 35% or less of
weight from total sugar (or less than 9 g. per 100 calories)
• Calories – 200 calories or less per serving
Resources for teachers and parents will be provided to help them make healthier choices.
Visit Kansas Team Nutrition’s
website, www.powerpanter.org, to access:
Power Panther Curriculum:
Power Panther Preschool
Power Panther Pals
Power Panther Professionals
My Pyramid for Kids:
http:www.mypyramid.gov/kids/index.html
To order My Pyramid for Kids materials including posters, tips and
classroom materials: http://www.ntis.gov/tn/Index.aspx
USDA Team Nutrition:
Popular Team Nutrition Events Idea Book order form:
http://www.nits.fov/tn/Index.aspx
Team Nutrition Resources: http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/library.html
BAM! (Body and Mind) www.bam.gov contains information on nutrition, hygiene, physical activity, safety, childhood stress and much more.
For kid-friendly recipe ideas: www.kidsacookin.com
Creating Healthier Kansas
Schools – www.kn-eat.org
Student Rewards & Incentives brochure
Healthful Food & Beverage Vending brochure
Fundraising Ideas for Schools brochure
