Pediatrician, Author, Board Member for Coalition on Children and Weight San Diego

www.kidseatgreat.com

www.ccwsd.org

A timely law was passed by Congress where each local educational agency that participates in the National School Lunch Act shall establish a Local School Wellness Policy by School Year 2006. According to the requirements, school districts must set goals for nutrition education, physical activity, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness.

The school needs to play a role in teaching our children about health and wellness, just as parents do. As with reading and writing, these are important lessons. We have all become used to school fund-raisers, class parties, and other events that share foods and drinks that are high in calories, sugar, and fat. Your school may change the types of foods that can be brought to school for parties or sold on campus. It may stop food rewards in the classroom or look for fund-raisers that will not include low nutritional value foods. School lunches may look different and physical education and nutrition education in the class may be more comprehensive.

The reason this is important is that we understand that nutrition has a role to play in children’s ability to learn. Student’s poor nutrition and inactivity does come with academic and financial costs to schools. A report from the national non-profit Action for Healthy Kids (www.actionforhealthykids.org) titled The Learning Connection, found the following examples of the link poor nutrition and the lack of activity has on academic performance:

 

• Schools with high percentages of students who did not routinely engage in physical activity or eat well had smaller gains in test scores than did other schools.


• Students who skip breakfast perform worse on tests and have poor concentration.


• Children not getting adequate nutrients have lower test scores, increased absenteeism, difficulty concentrating and lower energy levels.


• Physical activity programs are linked to stronger academic achievement, with improved math, reading and writing test scores.

In addition, children who are overweight miss more school. The cost in dollars to the schools was also pointed out:

 

• In states that use attendance to help determine state funding, a single-day absence by just one student can cost a school district from $9 to $20.


• Using an estimate of the rate of absenteeism among overweight students this may lead to a potential loss of state aid of $160,000 per year in an average-sized California school district.

As a parent, your support for the new school policy is key to your child’s health. Here are some actions you can take to support your school:

 

• Get active! Support your school’s Wellness Policy. Find out about any changes.


• Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast every morning.


• Talk with your child about the foods at school. Promote healthy choices, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.


• Ask your child not to share food with other children. Because some children have allergies, there are foods that can make them sick.


• Talk to the teachers about healthy food or non-food items to bring for classroom parties.


• Look for healthy fund-raising ideas for your school.


• Choose healthy foods and be active around your own home.

The changes that may occur will be different depending on your individual school district. Although children and parents will have to face some changes and may complain, these changes are an important starting point for our future generations. With rising rates of obesity and the numerous health risks that come with it, this generation of children may live a shorter lifespan than their parents. For those children who have not yet begun their school journey, starting out with healthy lessons in their school environment will be easier. Let’s all support these changes and get inspired to help our children learn in a healthy school environment!