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UTILIZING RESEARCH AND RESOURCES IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO
PREVENT CHILDHOOD OBESITY
The global phenomenon of
increasing obesity in industrialized countries, such as the
United States, has
been addressed by multiple research based studies and
organizations. The 2004 reauthorization of the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act,
as a result of increasing calls for a multifaceted public
approach to the obesity problem, required participating schools
to develop a local wellness policy. Since prevention is a key
factor in the solution of the obesity crisis, Nevada extended
the effort to create healthy school environments to all schools
through the Statewide Wellness Policy and SCR No.9.
Both of these policies support reducing childhood obesity and
preventing diet related chronic diseases in Nevada through the
healthy school environment. However, further effort on the part
of the school community is necessary since major components of
creating a healthy school environment include the issues of
student incentives, fund raising, and extracurricular events.
The entire school community’s involvement is necessary to
prevent the problem of obesity. The school community is
comprised of teachers, students, administrators, support staff,
food service staff, parents, professionals, and industry that
support the educational unit. The school community has access to
a wide range of professionally developed resources available to
improve programs at every level of the social continuum.
Schools are continually faced with the problem of raising money
to support educational programs, extracurricular events, and
scholarship activities. As these revenue producing events are
planned the school community will need to define environmental
policy and commit resources for the support of a healthy school
environment. Active advocates and role models from community
members will help support the effort to develop a healthy school
environment through
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Identifying the barriers within the school
and school community that prevent the development of a
healthy
school environment
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Developing a plan to eliminate each barrier
in a methodical manner
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Implementing the plan for barrier elimination
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Evaluating the successes
and failures of each planned step
The resources provided in Module Seven, as well as, the previous
modules illustrate the key concepts in children’s health and
ways to implement positive change. The acting surgeon general,
Kenneth P. Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H, summed up the key concepts of
the prevention of childhood obesity and chronic disease in his
remarks at the 23rd Annual Head Start Parent
Training Conference in December
2006. Among the six key steps which can help prevent disease
“good nutrition, physical activity, and maintenance of a healthy
weight” topped the list.
We invite you to take this opportunity to review a selection of
the resources which present the most reliable information and
practices on better health for our nation’s youth.
Moritsugu, K.P. (2006,
December 19).
Helping Children Secure a Healthier Future for Our
Nation. Presented at the meeting of the
23rd Annual Head Start Parent Training Conference.
Retrieved August 3, 2007 from
http://www.hhs.gov/news/speech/sp20061219a.html
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