Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids
How Schools are Improving Health and Fitness for Students
Dec 9, 2008
A 2006 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise by the American College of Sports Medicine proved students who participate in physical activity perform better in school. This, combined with alarming statistics on childhood obesity, has prompted many parents and communities to take action. Unfortunately, not every child wants to participate in sports or run laps in gym class. That’s why a number of schools have started revamping their health and fitness programs to appeal to more kids while helping their students get in better shape.
Fit and Healthy Schools
The Fit & Healthy Schools organization has made improving child health and reducing obesity rates its top priority. Their programs focus on teaching kids proper nutrition and making exercise a fun part of every day. Students at schools partnered with the organization track their fruits and vegetables in an effort to promote better eating habits. They also participate in unique gyms classes. Programs sponsored by Fit & Healthy can include hip hop dance, martial arts, circuit training, kickboxing, and more.
Kids Walking in School
In many schools, the most walking students get is from one classroom to the next or to and from the school bus. However, some districts are making it a point to get students in shape, one step at a time. In Gibson County, Tennessee, students were given pedometers to keep track of their progress. To boost their steps, students also take a minimum one-mile walk three times a week.
The pedometers were provided free to students thanks to a $2,000 grant from the state Office of Coordinated School Health. School officials say the tools help motivate students, who track their progress in the classroom. The results help kids keep track of their improvements and many strive to walk a little further every day. All in all, students at one elementary school have started averaging some three miles of walking each day.
Fitness Games for Kids
For most people, gym class brings memories of dodgeball, flag football, and other team sports. Many children simply do not enjoy or thrive in such activities. Therefore, they do not put in much physical effort during physical education. However, few kids would pass up the opportunity to play video games.
With this in mind, many schools are now adding fitness arcade games to their curriculum. In fact, West Virginia recently partnered with Konami Digital Entertainment to bring the game Dance Dance Revolution to more than 750 public schools. The game requires students to step and jump to the music.
Healthy School Lunches
A healthy lifestyle doesn’t just mean exercise. It also means eating a balanced diet. Unfortunately, many schools provide lunches that are less than ideal. Few vegetables, processed grains, excess sugar, saturated fat, and more plague cafeteria offerings. To fix this, the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is offering schools the chance to get Silver of Gold certificates to showcase healthy lunch programs. When reviewing these USDA guidelines, it seems simple changes make all the difference. Al it takes is a few healthier choices for kids to eat better.
At one Miami school, improvements included offering 100% fruit juice, switching to whole wheat bread, and increasing fresh fruit offerings. Meanwhile, some schools, like those in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, can choose healthy main dishes that include stir-fry, salad wraps, and pasta with broccoli. Students in Hoover, Alabama can pick fresh fruit and whole wheat pizza at the cafeteria, but some of their favorite sweetened drinks have been banned. Speaking of food bans, California has completely eliminated deep fryers from school kitchens, and many districts do not allow soda at all.
Getting Families Involved in Fitness
Ultimately, the key to getting kids into shape is to expand their healthy lifestyles beyond the school building. This means getting families involved in good nutrition and regular exercise. One way schools are helping promote this is by sending home “BMI Report Cards.” Currently, eight states require school health officials to send home a notice if a child’s Body Mass Index indicates they are obese.
The goal of BMI reports is to educate parents about the risks to their child’s wellbeing if lifestyle changes are not made. Although some families are uneasy, even insulted, by the system, many others have seen it as a wakeup call. Other initiatives to get parents involved include family fitness events, free information sessions at schools, and even online fitness tracking systems.
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