Over the past four decades, the education system has increasingly been utilized to address health concerns of American society as part of a multifaceted public health policy.  In the 70s and 80s when drug use became prevalent in the American culture, schools were given the task to provide drug education for children.  In the 90s schools were asked to educate students on the health impact of cigarettes and alcohol use.  The 21^st century health care professionals worried about the trend of rapidly increasing childhood obesity and emphasized a need for interventions in the school setting.  

• In the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the “overweight” designation had increased four-fold in the elementary children surveyed since the 1960s.1 This was the first time, in modern history that children were predicted to have a shorter life span than their parents.2
   

• Overweight children tend to become overweight adults who are at higher risk of chronic health problems.  Chronic health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, are being exhibited by school-age children in increasing numbers.3  To reverse these trends, a multifaceted public health policy that utilizes the school education system to assist students in developing healthy lifestyle habits has become a national focus.4 
   

• A healthy child attends more days of school, functions well in the school setting, and benefits more from the educational process.5

To better serve the children within our state, there is a need to view the education of a child from a “whole child” point of view.  The needs of the child are encompassed within the total state of being, not just individual concepts, such as, health needs, education needs, social needs, and basic needs.  Research also suggests that students who have health or safety concerns are often not focused in school and may not perform as well as their peers on academic performance tests.

Linda Darling-Hammond, in “Evaluating No Child Left Behind”6, explains that the new approach to elementary and secondary education will address the need for healthcare and nutrition, safe and secure housing, and healthy communities for children, as well as their educational needs. Laitsch, Lewallen, and McCloskey 7 further emphasize that “Supporting the health of children is not just an ethical ideal—it also results in practical benefits.  Research also shows that students in safe and supportive environments, who are engaged in school and not distracted by hunger or health issues (cavities, asthma, etc.), learn better and achieve more. These students also develop knowledge and skills that develop them as healthy, responsible members of society." 
 

“Evaluating No Child Left Behind”

“Responses to Linda Darling-Hammond”
“A Framework for Education in the 21^st Century” (pdf)

1 Hayes, Dayle,  Healthy Kids are Happy Kids (school-age), School Foodservice and Nutrition Journal (June/July 2005) updated and reprinted for the School Wellness Toolkit,      Retrieved August 11, 2007 from http://www.schoolnutrition.org/Index.aspx?id=1077
2 De Noon, Daniel and Smith, Michael, Will Obesity Shorten the American Life Span?  MedicineNet.Com (March 2005) Retrieved August 27, 2007 from  http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56059
3 Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Healthy Youth!, Health Topics, Childhood Overweight, Retrieved August  27, 2007 from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/overweight/index.htm
4  Institute of Medicine Report Brief (September 2006). Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: How Do We Measure Up?  Retrieved from June 16, 2007 from http://www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/36/984/11722_reportbrief.pdf
5 Laitsch, D.,  Lewallen, T., & McCloskey, MA, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (February 2005)  For the Success of Each Learner - Info brief, Number 40 Retrieved June 16, 2007 from  http://www.wholechildeducation.org/clearninghouse/
6 Darling-Hammond, L, The Nation, (May 27, 200) Evaluating ‘No Child Left Behind’ , Retrieved June 16, 2007 from http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070521/darling-hammond 
7 Laitsch, D.,  Lewallen, T., & McCloskey, MA, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (February 2005)  For the Success of Each Learner - Info brief, Number 40 Retrieved June 16, 2007 from  http://www.wholechildeducation.org/clearninghouse/