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November 4, 2005 NDSU Can Help Schools Develop Wellness Policy The North Dakota State University Extension Service has a new Web site to help schools meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture mandate that every school district have a wellness policy by the start of the 2006 school year. The rising epidemic of childhood obesity in the U.S. prompted the USDA’s action, according to Jane Edwards, NDSU Extension Service nutrition and health specialist. “Schools are not the only institution in our society that needs to consider making changes to improve both the accessibility of healthy choices for food and opportunities for increased physical activity,” Edwards says. “Schools, however, are an important place to start so that children can learn healthy behaviors during their developmental years to prevent obesity and related chronic diseases.” The Web site, www.ag.ndsu.edu/k12wellpolicy/, takes school districts through the process of developing a wellness policy. The first step is assembling a school wellness policy team of parents, students, teachers, school food service employees, school board members, school administrators and members of the public, such as local farmers and ranchers, business and industry representatives, and health-care professionals. The NDSU Extension Service also can provide many educational resources on nutrition and physical activity, Edwards says. The policy team’s initial job is to assess the food available in the district’s schools. That includes school lunches and food available from vending machines, school stores and concession stands at sporting and academic events; a la carte meals; and food served at social events, used for fundraising activities and offered as rewards. The team also must assess students’ opportunities for physical activity before, during and after school. Then the team must write the local school wellness policy, which addresses the types of foods offered and the opportunities for increased physical activity in the schools. One or more district staff will need to be responsible for implementing the policy and evaluating its effectiveness. Edwards says getting the message about a healthy diet and physical activity to youths is important because national data indicates the prevalence of overweight among children ages 6 to 19 increased from about 5 percent in the early 1970s to 15 percent now. In North Dakota, a random sampling of sixth-graders in 2002 indicated 16 percent were overweight. Rural North Dakota students were more likely to be overweight (19 percent) than those in urban areas (12 percent), and boys were more likely to be overweight (18 percent) than girls (14 percent) in this sample. Information the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collected for the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicated 24 percent of North Dakota high school students either are overweight or at risk of being overweight. That’s up from 20 percent in 2003. The survey also showed:
Edwards says the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has paralleled the increase in number of overweight children and teens. Once type 2 diabetes develops, a person always will have it. People with uncontrolled diabetes run an increased risk of heart and kidney disease, blindness and lower limb amputations. For example, people with diabetes have twice the risk of developing heart disease than those without the disease. Anyone interested in promoting healthy school environments should contact their local school district about getting on its policy team. For more information about school wellness policies, visit USDA Web sites at www.fns.usda.gov/tn and www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/wellnesspolicy.html. ### Source:
Jane Edwards, (701) 231-7478, jedwards@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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