Study: Kids will eat healthy school food

MINNEAPOLIS --
Maybe getting schoolchildren to eat healthy foods isn't a hopeless struggle. Bucking some common notions, a University of Minnesota study has found that school lunch sales don't decline when healthier meals are served, and that more nutritious lunches don't necessarily cost schools more to produce.

"The conventional wisdom that you can't serve healthier meals because kids won't eat them is false," said Benjamin Senauer, one of three economists who wrote the study.

Previous studies have concluded that students prefer fatty foods and that healthier meals cost more to make, the authors noted.

The study, which appears in the December issue of the Review of Agricultural Economics, analyzed five years of data for 330 Minnesota public school districts. It looked at compliance with federal standards for calories, nutrients and fats.

While serving better meals does entail higher labor costs, the study found, that's offset by lower costs for more nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables compared with processed foods. However, many districts need to upgrade their kitchens and train their staff to prepare these foods, the researchers said.

More on healthy school food.

Thinking of educating children on concepts regarding good nutrition and daily physical activity? Check out Peaceful Playgrounds' We Count Walking Program. Children use pedometers to monitor physical activity based on a curriculum which emphasizes good nutrition and physical activity through teacher directed 10 minute mini lessons complete with student and parent newsletters.

Putting an End to Playgrounds Arguments

Peaceful Playgrounds research identified five problems consistently occuring on most elementary school playgrounds. Inconsistent game rules was one of those five problems.

"Children were playing by different game rules and this lead to arguments, frustration and sometimes physical confrontations," according the Dr. Melinda Bossenmeyer, Peaceful Playgrounds President. Further, we found that rarely were children taught either the rules of the games or "how to play".

To solve this problem Peaceful Playgrounds has designed a ground-breaking set of three DVD’s and three accompanying Rules Guides which are now available. Teachers and students alike, can use them to easily learn "how to play" many exciting and constructive playgrounds games!

Navigate the easy-to-use menus to select any of over 25 games-actually filmed being played by real students- games for Preschool/Kindergarten, Primary Grades 1-3 & Upper Elementary Grades 4-6.

These are all the games students will love, like Frog in the Sea, Scramble, Freezeout, Four Square and many more!

Download Peaceful Playgrounds Instructional Games DVDs and Rules Guide Flyer.

CSBA sues State of CA over mandated costs

The California School Boards Association and several districts have sued the state for nearly $1 billion, saying the state's deferral of payments for 38 mandatory programs violates the state of California's constitution. The lawsuit claims that districts are forced to divert limited educational funding to support state-mandated programs such as student health screenings and attendance-figure reporting.

Physical education and health educators may be interested in the following items included in the suit:
AIDS Prevention Instruction ($3,968,036)
Physical Education Reports ($3000)
Physical Performance Tests ($1,437,872)
Pupil Health Screenings ($ 3,949,640)
Scoliosis Training ($2,304,813)

Physical Education Teacher Evaluation Tool

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) has a
wonderful new tool for physical education teacher evaluation. All teachers benefit from meaningful, ongoing assessment and evaluation. The NASPE-developed Physical Education Teacher Evaluation Tool identifies the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to provide sound instruction in the K-12 physical education classroom. Its purpose is to assist principals, school district curriculum specialists, and others who evaluate physical education teachers as well as to guide physical education teachers in reflection and self-assessment, and serve as an instructional tool in college/university physical education teacher education programs. Click
this link to download a copy of the NASPE Teacher Evaluation Tool:
http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/

Play space lack tied to obesity

Los Angeles COUNTY: Overweight kids more likely to be found in poorer cities with less park space.

By Melissa Evans, Staff Writer, Long Beach Press Telegram

Never has the link between poverty and child obesity been more apparent.

A new report from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health shows that the richest cities with the most public open space have the lowest rates of obese children. By contrast, cities with larger low-income populations, such as Hawthorne, Lawndale, Carson and Gardena, have more overweight kids.

"Poverty is one of the determinants of obesity, there's no question about that for a whole bunch of reasons," said Dr. Jonathon Fielding, the county's director of public health and lead medical officer.

For the first time, the county used information on obesity rates from the California Department of Education and compared it to a number of factors that contribute to economic hardship, such as unemployment rates, education levels and households that earn less than the federal poverty line. The report also included the amount of park and recreation space within each of 128 cities in the greater Los Angeles area.

Manhattan Beach, one of the most affluent cities in the South Bay, ranked second best in the report with only 4 percent of children who meet the criteria for obesity. The city was the fourth wealthiest among those studied, and had one of the highest ratios of park area per capita - 5.7 acres per 1,000 residents.

Meanwhile, less than a couple miles inland, the city of Lawndale had one of the lowest ratios of park space - 0.6 acres per 1,000 residents
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- and one of the highest child-obesity rates of 27 percent. The city ranked 88th among those studied for economic hardship.

British kids to get obesity letters

LONDON, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- A new heathcare bill in England authorizes the distribution of letters detailing children's height and weight as part of the fight against childhood obesity.

Parents of children ages 5-10 will receive letters outlining their child's height and weight to be input into an online "fat check" in an effort to determine the onset of obesity, The Telegraph said Saturday.

The new program is part of the Health and Social Care bill promoting healthy lifestyles and directing families to dietary recommendations and local services.

Critics complain the letters are invasive, but proponents cite current trends suggesting nearly a quarter of children in England may be clinically obese by 2050, the British newspaper reported.

"We want to ensure that parents are aware of the options available to them so that they can take responsibility for choosing the most suitable ways to support their child in achieving a healthy weight," a spokesman for the Department of Health said in the Telegraph.

Hero in the Hallway - You tube Bullying Video

I stumbled on the following utube video entitled, "Hero in the Hallway." Check it out.

European Parliament: PE should be mandatory in schools

Physical education should be compulsory in school and children should have at least three physical education lessons a week, says an own-initiative report adopted by MEPs with 590 votes in favor 56 against and 21 abstentions. The number of children who are overweight or obese is growing by an estimated 400,000 per year, yet, according to a study for the Culture Committee, the average time that primary schools allocate to physical education has fallen from 121 to 109 minutes per week since 2002.

The report calls on Member States to make physical education compulsory in primary and secondary schools, ensure that the timetable includes at least three physical education lessons a week, and ensure "a higher degree of integration" between sports and academic subjects.

MEPs underline that physical education is the only school subject that seeks to prepare children for a healthy lifestyle and focuses on their physical and mental development.

MEPs also stress the need for better sports facilities and recommends that EU structural funds be used to create school and other sports facilities in disadvantaged areas.

Ultimate Wellness Challenge Toolkit

The Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge Toolkit was developed by Action for Healthy Kids, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and with input from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Education and other leading health and education organizations.

This turn-key guide for hosting a local Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge event includes all necessary information to prepare, publicize, and carry-out a successful event. View and download the Toolkit elements by clicking on the links below.

Toolkit Overview – This four-page introduction to Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge provides instructions for how to use the Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge Toolkit.

How to tell if children aren't well for school

Published on Tuesday, Nov 13, 2007
Ohio.com

Sniffling and sneezing? Coughing and feverish? When are a child's symptoms severe enough to stay home from school? The rule of thumb, according to Medina General Hospital's School Health Services, is to keep children home if they are experiencing any of these symptoms: fever over 100 degrees, vomiting, diarrhea, frequent cough, persistent pain (earache, stomachache, etc.) or widespread rash.

If there is any doubt, consult your doctor. If you decide to send your child to school, ''Make sure the school knows how to reach you during the day,'' says Lori Hogue, a registered nurse and supervisor of Medina General's School Health Services.

To help with decision making, Hogue offers these guidelines, grouped by condition and how soon students can return to school:

Conjunctivitis: 24 hours after treatment is started.

Cough: Once the cough is no longer persistent with thick or constant nasal drainage.

Diarrhea: 24 hours after last episode of diarrhea without use of medicine.

Fever: 24 hours after fever-free.

Impetigo: 24 hours after treatment starts, sores should be covered.

Ring worm: 24 hours after treatment starts, area should be covered.

Strep throat: 24 hours after treatment starts and fever-free.

Vomiting: 24 hours after last episode of vomiting without use of medicine.

Finally, WebMD suggests that parents remain savvy. If your child frequently claims to be ''sick'' for school, but is fine on weekends, that could be a sign of trouble at school.

NIKE Physical Activity Grants

Nike, Inc. -- Physical Activity Grants for Youth Nike, Inc. supports programs that increase and promote physical activity and seeks to: 1) get youth more physically active; 2) get youth involved in the teamwork of sports; and 3) have real, positive and measurable impact. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status in communities where Nike has a significant employee or business presence. Rolling deadline. Contact Nike, Inc. directly for complete program information and application guidelines: NIKE Grants.

"F as Fat" : Obesity Policies Are Failing in America

Obesity has dominated media headlines over the past few years as the
nation has begun to recognize it is a serious health crisis.

"F as Fat", a new document released by the Trust for America's Health points out how obesity policies are failing in America. The 118 page reports covers such topics as

1. Obesity Rates and Related Trends

2. Obesity and State Policy: A review of legislation and initiatives;

3. Obesity and Federal Policy: An update of federal obesity-related initia-
tives

4. Physical Activity policies and data by state

5. Experts Survey of potential strategies

6. Recommendations

F as Fat is a must read for all those concerned about obesity.

For a copy, visit http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2007/Obesity2007Report.pdf

Sleep factor in childhood obesity

Boston - More sleep can reduce a child’s risk of becoming obese, according to a new study from the University of Michigan.

Researchers found that for every additional hour of sleep for a night for a third-grader, the risk of obesity is reduced by 40 percent by 6th grade.

“Many children aren’t getting enough sleep, and that lack of sleep may not only be making them moody or preventing them from being alert and ready to learn at school, it may also be leading to a higher risk of being overweight,” says study lead author Julie C. Lumeng, M.D., assistant research scientist at the U-M Center for Human Growth and Development.

“This study suggests that an increased risk for overweight is yet another potential consequence of short sleep duration, providing an additional reason to ensure that children are receiving adequate sleep, primarily through enforcing an age-appropriate bed time.”

For more information on sleep and childhood obesity study.

Childhood Obesity Discussion

Given that physical activity not only keeps obesity at bay but generates a healthy and happy attitude, it’s surprising that more schools have not tried to harness the positive influence of physical activity within their educational program. Unfortunately, usually physical activity takes a back seat to other subjects regarded as more important.

Things have changed at home as well.

Prior to the digital age, children were forced to go out and play, unknowingly engaging in physical activity and oblivious to their body’s burning off of any unwanted calories. Full of energy, kissed by the sun, and eager to use their imagination, children played games of make-believe for hours on end with their friends, loathe to come in at evening time, to eat dinner with the family.

Compare that scenario to the lives of children today and there is a stark difference. Children nowadays are lethargic from excessive amounts of junk food eaten between meals. They spend hours upon hours watching television, and more often than not, eat their breakfast, lunch, or dinner in front of it – along with the rest of the family at various times that rarely coincide.

The Peaceful Playgrounds Blog endeavors to provide informative, research based information on the childhood obesity crisis by providing information on physical activity programs available to either homes or schools. Why not sign up for an rss feed to our blog or forward this blog posting on to a friend to join in the conversation?

Architects and Planners Join to Curb Obesity

The British govt has decided to cure obesity with better designs – by roping in architects and town planners in its drive against the disease.

The proposal also calls for schools and employers to encourage “active travel”, by creating new walking and cycle routes, re-allocating parking places to cyclists and introducing more speed humps and other traffic calming measures.

The flab-fighting proposals drawn up by officials at the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), also recommends marking out playgrounds with different colored areas, to “encourage varied, physically active play by creating zones for different types of activity such as traditional (and other) individual and team games.”

"Colored playgrounds to encouraged varied physically active play?" Sound familiar? Peaceful Playgrounds has over 100 games and activities that http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifcan be painted on the playground including cooperative, competitive, learning, as well as, dual and individual games. For more information on the visit the Peaceful Playgrounds website.

The guidance was approved by Nice’s board last week and is to be sent to planning offices across the country over the next few days. Nice has already suggested that pedometers could be made available on the NHS and has backed “exercise referral schemes” which introduce fat patients to personal trainers.

on Architects and planners help to curb obesity.....

EnergyNow Grants for Physical Education and Nutrition

EnergyNow! is an alliance comprised of leading authorities in the physical education, nutrition and fitness technology fields who are committed to reversing today’s alarming childhood obesity epidemic. EnergyNow! is a results-based grant program that will enable schools to combat the alarming trend of obesity in our children. With an emphasis on building physical education and nutrition education programs that are doable, sustainable and effective, EnergyNow! aims to energize 1,000,000 kids in 1,000 schools. For the grant application and more information please visit: http://www.energynow.com/pdf/EnergyNow_RFP.pdf

Tennessee Physical Activity Handbook

The Tennessee Physical Activity Handbook is now available to download from the CSH website. The direct link to the handbook is:

http://tennessee.gov/education/schoolhealth/physed/doc/TNPhysActivHbook_10_07.pdf

Please check the website often for additional resources. Questions regarding this handbook may be sent to our Physical Education Specialist, Susan Brotherton at Susan.Brotherton@state.tn.us.

Play Every Day Legislation

S 651 PLAY Every Day Act 2/15/07

To help promote the national recommendation of physical activity to kids, families, and communities across the United States. The Secretary of Education, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall provide grants to State health departments to enable the State health departments to work in partnership with eligible community-based coalitions to plan and implement model communities of play. They shall use grant funds in partnership with community coalitions to carry out a community action plan and promote a model community of play, by enabling the maximum use of, or the creation of, spaces and places for physical activity for children, families, and communities before, during, and after school or work. This may include increasing the number of schools serving the community that provide recess, physical education, and physical activity for children and youth.

Sponsors: Harken, Clinton

Co-sponsors: Bingaman, Hagel, Landrieu, Mikulski, Sanders, Boxer, Durbin, Inouye, Menendez, Nelson

Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions


HR 2045 PLAY Every Day Act 4/27/07
House version.

Sponsors: Udall, Granger, Boswell, McIntyre, Cummings

Co-sponsors: Abercrombie, Allen, Blumenauer, Alexander, Bishop, Bordallo, Boucher, Brady, Braley, Capps, Carson, Castor, Chandler, Christensen, Cohen, Delahunt, Doyle, Duncan, English, Etheridge, Filner, Fortuno, Frank, Gerlach, Gillibrand, Gonzalez, Gordon, Green, Hastings, Hinchey, Hinojosa, Israel, Jefferson, Kind, LaHood, Lewis, Maloney, Markey, Marshall, McGovern, McNulty, Miller, Moran, Musgrave, Myrick, Napolitano, Norton, Olver, Pastor, Payne, Price, Ramstad, Renzi, Rothman, Salazar, Schakowsky, Snyder, Souder, Towns, Weiner

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

Please look this legislation over, and if your Senator or Representative is not listed in the sponsorship, contact them and ask for their support. You can find their contact information at www.congress.org.

Recess Before Lunch = Healthy Consequences

"Having students take their lunch recess before lunch has had some unintended, healthy consequences," according to Tulsa, Oklahoma principal Carolyn Moore.

"We switched recess to before lunch because I was seeing so many office referrals of students with stomachaches, but now they're hungrier and more ready to settle down and eat. They're not going to pitch that food out so fast because they want to go outside and play," Moore said.

Patrick Henry Elementary School is just one of many elementary schools across the nation making the move to switch from the traditional eat first-play later lunch hour. "Most schools report positive results when children play first and eat later," according to Dr. Melinda Bossenmeyer, a national recess and playground consultant from Peaceful Playgrounds Inc."schools report that children waste food less, are calm when eating, and return back to the classroom ready to learn."