HEdCen Wellness Policy on Physical Fitness and Nutrition

Preamble

Whereas, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are responsible for two-thirds of deaths, and major risk factors for those diseases, including unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity, and obesity, often are established in childhood;

Whereas, only 2% of children (2 to 19 years) eat a healthy diet consistent with the five main recommendations from the Food Guide Pyramid;

Whereas, nationally, the items most commonly sold from school vending machines, school stores, and snack bars include low-nutrition foods and beverages, such as soda, sports drinks, imitation fruit juices, chips, candy, cookies, and snack cakes;

·                Qualified child nutrition professionals will provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students; will accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student body in meal planning; and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate time for students to eat.

·                The school will engage students, parents, teachers, food service professionals, health professionals, and other interested community members in developing, implementing, monitoring, and reviewing district-wide nutrition and physical activity policies.

·                Schools will provide nutrition education and physical education to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish linkages between health education and school meal programs, and with related community services.

·  Offer students more healthy foods that are as convenient, inexpensive and appealing as high-fat fast foods. 

·  Explore new opportunities to generate support and revenue that are not based on the sale of unhealthy foods. 

·  Examine the use of schools as a channel for food and beverage company promotions. 

·  Involve students in choosing the healthy foods available in their schools through taste tests, surveys and classroom activities. 

·  Investigate the reasons that students do not participate in the National School Lunch Program and develop strategies to encourage them to do so. 

·  Hold forums that inform students, parents, decision-makers and the community about the effect of high-fat fast food on health. 

·  Promote the link between a nutritious diet and learning. 

School Staff Wellness. The school highly values the health and well-being of every staff member and will plan and implement activities and policies that support personal efforts by staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle.