School Health: Nutrition
Childhood obesity has been recognized as a national epidemic. The number of children who are overweight and obese has increased substantially over the past 20 years. With the prevalence of overweight and obesity increasing there is a tendency for earlier onset and increased risk of disease. Few are meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans; many are flunking healthy eating and are physically inactive.
Schools are a key setting for teaching about healthy nutrition strategies. Classrooms can become a learning laboratory for nutrition and health education. School nutrition programs reflect the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other criteria to achieve nutrition integrity.
Nutrition tips and fact sheets
National Schools Board Association (NSBA) has a new "Childhood Obesity & Schools" Web page
To provide ready access to childhood obesity information and resources, NSBA’s School Health Programs created a "Childhood Obesity & Schools" Web page. The page includes relevant data and research, resources for developing sound policies and practices, and examples of school successes in addressing childhood obesity. In addition, the page provides general resources such as links to Web sites for further research and policy guidance.
The Impact of Removing Snacks of Low Nutritional Value From Middle Schools
Three middle schools replaced snacks and beverages that did not meet nutrition guidelines. Students were surveyed about dietary intake and weight concerns before and after implementation of the intervention.
Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools: Leading the Way Toward Healthier Youth
Recommendations and fact sheets for schools on ways to ensure that the available food and beverage options are healthy and help youth eat food that meets dietary recommendations for fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low-fat dairy products.
DiNapoli: Junk Food Sold in NYC Schools Weakens Efforts to Promote Healthy Eating - Renewed Call to Combat Childhood Obesity
Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli found that junk food is routinely sold in New York City schools, undermining efforts of the federal and state governments and the City Department of Education (DOE) to promote healthy eating habits among the students.
Farm to School: Minnesota Toolkit for Food Service
This toolkit shows how to get food grown by farmers in your community onto your students' lunch trays. It is based on materials developed in the Willmar, Minn. School District during a 3-year pilot project funded in part by the Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships.
The Farmer Grows a Rainbow
This site provides teachers with classroom-ready resources to improve nutrition education among Pre-K-5 students.
Small Changes Steer Children Towards Smarter School Lunch Choices
Obama Administration Launches Chefs Move to School Program
Nutrition: School Wellness: Childhood Obesity
School Stores, Vending, and Concessions
Nutrition information for students
Crunch the Numbers: Do More Math, Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
A standards-based math program developed by Scholastic and sponsored by Produce Marketing Association. Materials show students how to make fruits and vegetables a delicious and healthy part of their lives—because more matters.
Journey into Nutrition Education
This Web site provides hands-on, interactive activities to help teach nutrition from pre-k through upper elementary grades.
Nutrition policies
Dietary Guidelines (PDF: 11MB/25 pages)
Recommendations for incorporating the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans into School Nutrition Programs - December 2007 memo and ten fact sheets.
Local Wellness Policy (PDF: 331KB/17 pages)
A guide for developing a wellness policy.
Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (PDF: 14KB/2 pages)
Model Local Obesity Prevention Resolution (NPLAN)