Picture Wikipedia

First Lady Michelle Obama announced that next week she will be releasing her action plan to tackle the childhood obesity crisis. With 17% of school children obese and one third overweight a national agenda spearheaded by the First Lady may be just what the doctor ordered.

At a press conference she made her intent known. She plans on crafting specific solutions to the childhood obesity crisis. "She wants to get families, sc…

While childhood obesity rates increase, opportunities for students to be active have decreased. Kids are less active than ever. This not only affects their health, but also their performance in class. Physical activity programs are linked to stronger academic achievement, increased concentration and improved math, reading and writing test scores.

Peaceful Playgrounds partnered with the Alliance for Healthier Generation to offer Alliance Schools f…

Should schools serve chocolate milk? A recent story in the Chicago Tribune looks at the question and examines district policies across the nation.

When an IL school district banned flavored milk from its lunch menus, a group of 5th grade students persuaded administrators to give it another chance. Now the sweetened drinks are served on "Flavored Fridays" as the district tries to decide whether the benefits of calcium and vitamin D are…

Dr. Oz swings through Detroit with opinions on fitness, health policy and Oprah.

A version of this story appears on page 14A of the Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, print edition of the Detroit Free Press.


Dr. Oz the new TV personality with his own show launched from Oprah appearances weighed in on the topic of Obesity in children: "The most important thing we can do is make it easier for kids to exercise," says Oz. He's in favor of fitness-…

The Governor of NJ kicked off a statewide Nutrition and fitness challenge with students on Friday. The statewide fitness challenge to kids, their parents and school leadership across New Jersey today, urges them to take steps toward better children’s health by exercising more and making healthy food choices. The Governor’s Nutrition and Fitness Challenge invites kids between the ages of six and 17 to register at www.nj.gov/health/fitnesschalleng…

Registration is now open for the School Wellness Conference in Anaheim, CA. The conference will begin on October 5 for a pre-conference event, Finding common ground: Collaborating to prevent childhood obesity which will explore the foundations of collaboration among schools, cities and others. Specifically, it will address strategies for collaboration around nutrition, physical activity, joint-use of indoor and outdoor recreational facilities…

Eat Better. Move More. Start Today.
The Massachusetts Public Health Council unanimously approved regulations recently that require public schools to send children's Body Mass Index measurements home to parents.

The new regulations, part of a larger statewide initiative called "Mass in Motion" that is designed to fight rising obesity rates, will have schools calculate students' heights and weights into a body mass index.

The resu…

With competing priorities such as testing and tight budgets, schools today are offering fewer and fewer opportunities for physical activity. The National Association of Sport and Physical Education reports that the percentage of students who attend a daily physical education class in school dropped to 28 percent in 2003, from 42 percent in 1991.

The PE recommendation is 150 minutes per week for elementary and 225 minutes per week for m…

Each morning about 450 students walk to school in a zero school bus lead by a walking "driver" in Italy. Also know as the "piedibus" which means literally "foot bus" in Italian the concept is catching on and spreading in Europe.

More on the Walking School Bus.

Deadline: Feb 24, 2009

Program Area: Childhood Obesity

Purpose:
Healthy Eating Research is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The program supports research on environmental and policy strategies with strong potential to promote healthy eating among children to prevent childhood obesity, especially among low-income and racial/ethnic populations at highest risk for obesity. Findings will advance RWJF's efforts to re…

Healthy Eating Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), supports research on environmental and policy strategies with strong potential to promote healthy eating among children to prevent childhood obesity, especially among low-income and racial/ethnic populations at highest risk for obesity. The program has issued two new calls for proposals.

Healthy Eating Research: Building Evidence to Prevent Childhood Obesity
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Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future
The U.S. Surgeon General’s Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative has three main goals that will be emphasized on October 6 for Child Health Day. Check out their website for additional information and resources.
Help kids stay active! Encourage healthy eating habits!Promote healthy choices!

Peaceful Playgrounds walking program called "We Count" provides a curriculum o…

California's Menu Labeling Bill has experienced a rocky past but on September 30, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, sign into law a bill which would require restaurants to put calorie counts on their menus and indoor menu boards.

A special congratulations to the California Center for Public Health Advocacy for their success in winning another hard fought battle aimed at reducing California's childhood obesity crisis.

Schwarzenegger said the leg…

Introducing Peaceful Playgrounds "Featured Articles". Bi-monthly Peaceful Playgrounds will publish a featured article on our website. Below is a short description of the first five posted articles.

Recess is on the Upswing

The growing support for daily recess is gaining momentum. Parents, educators, and public health organizations have all engaged in the effort to bring back daily recess for elementary school students.Low-Cost High-…