Each day this week I will review relevant information on the topics of recess, physical education, nutrition, and class size in PE as covered in the School Health Policies and Program Study research report released Friday, Oct. 19, 2007.
The School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006 is the largest, most comprehensive assessment of school health programs in the United States ever conducted. SHPPS also was conducted in 2000 and 1994 and is planned again for 2012.
Tuesday's Topic-Recess
Wednesday's Topic- Nutrition in Schools
Thursday's Topic- Class Size PE
Friday's Topic-Physical Education
NUTRITION: Nutrition Services
* 68.6% of schools offered breakfast to students
* 63.0% participated in the USDA reimbursable School Breakfast Program.
In the Districts and Schools That Qualified for the Reimbursable lunch program:
* 99.3% of schools offered lunch to students
* 23.5% of high schools offered 100 brand-name fast foods from companies
* schools offering fried potatoes to students decreased from 40.0% to 18%
* 25% of schools started serving lunch before 11:00am.
*On average, students had 22.8 minutes to eat
The good news:
Percentage of Schools That Offered Low-Fat a la Carte Foods, and Percentage of Schools That Almost Always or Always Used Healthy Food Preparation Practices can be seen below.
* Low-Fat bread products 2000-50.8, 2006- 67.1
*Low-fat salty snacks 2000-38.2% to 2006-53.2%
*Low-fat or nonfat yogurt 2000-35.5% to 2006- 50.3%
*Vegetables other than potatoes 2000-51.0% to 2006- 70.8%
* Trimmed fat from meat or used lean meat 2000-56.2% to 2006- 66.4%
*Removed skin from poultry or used skinless poultry 2000-40.2% to 2006-54.6%
*Steamed or baked vegetables other than potatoes 2000-67.0 to 2006-81.9%
For more information on nutrition in schools download the complete fact sheet