This report was compiled by the School Physical Fitness and Wellness Advisory Council. House Bill 66 created this council to provide guidance to school districts in developing and implementing wellness policies and plans. The council was charged with developing best practice guidelines regarding nutrition education and physical activity for…

Every day the media bombards the nation with concern over childhood obesity. More American children than ever before are developing health problems related to their eating habits and lack of exercise. The classroom is the perfect place to deal with this national crisis by speaking directly to the children. If children could become more aware of…

In this article, the authors discuss how, due to the increasing problems of obesity and sedentary lifestyles among children, schools have been mandated to instruct students on the importance of good nutritional habits and daily physical activity. Approaches to stimulating faculty to integrate wellness concepts and activities into curricula depend…

Objective: To explore the perceptions of physical activity and healthy eating among children from two north west of England primary schools, with the ultimate aim of improving healthy lifestyle choices. Design: A qualitative study in which each child participated in two focus groups. Setting: Two primary schools in a deprived ward of Warrington,…

Objective: To compare environmental factors that influence body mass index for age (BMI-for-age) between a sample of American and Czech school-aged children. Design: Pilot study. A parent questionnaire and school visits were used to collect data from parents and children. Setting: Public schools in 1 American and 2 Czech cities. Participants:…

Headlines recently were full of studies about the obesity problem of America's children and young people, as if kids became overweight without anyone noticing. An accumulation of both school and family habits, however, have been contributing to the fact that at least 13% of children ages 7 to 11 are overweight, double those of the 1970s (and…

"Kids Count in Colorado!" is an annual publication of the Colorado Children's Campaign, which provides the best available state- and county-level data to measure and track the education, health and general well-being of the state's children. "Kids Count in Colorado!" informs policy debates and community discussions, serving as…

Explores implications of interdisciplinary findings in an attempt to: (1) identify family practices and behaviors that contribute to preschool obesity; and (2) suggest effective obesity control strategies that can guide family-oriented nutrition education and counseling efforts. (JN)

Resting metabolic rate and its relation to selected anthropomorphic measures were determined in 11 male and 7 female noninstitutionalized children with Down Syndrome. Dietary analysis was performed to determine the children's nutritional status. Results have implications for the prevention and treatment of obesity in children with Down Syndrome.…

Relates the origin and aims of the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) begun in 1972. It has failed to improve the health of newborn children or lower the infant mortality rate, because these problems relate to behavior rather than lack of food. Prenatal care and medical intervention are more appropriate…

Consistent with the intent of the original school-lunch program, created by Congress in 1946 to provide "nutritious agricultural commodities" to children, the major purpose of today's school-lunch program is to ensure that children, especially those from poor and low-income families, have nutritious food at school. Even as contentious and partisan…

During the last two decades, obesity rates in the United States have escalated dramatically, and intense media coverage of obesity issues has fueled consumer interest in low-carbohydrate diets designed to promote rapid weight loss. The food industry has fostered the assumption that a drop in carbohydrate consumption will translate into a drop in…

Food is talked about endlessly in the media, at local, regional, national and indeed global levels. People are always wondering, therefore, about what is "good" or "right" to eat. To look for answers without giving enough consideration to trends and fashions, without thinking of the bigger picture, the implications of what…

In this testimony Celia Hagert, senior policy analyst for the Center for Public Policy Priorities, testifies in support of CSHB 454, which relates to the provision of free lunch and breakfast to all enrolled students in certain school districts and campuses. Houston Independent School District (HISD) started serving free breakfast to all students…

Much attention is currently being paid to rising rates of obesity, especially among youth. In this context, garden-based education can have a role in improving public health. A qualitative study conducted at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) Children's Garden provides supporting evidence for the claim that growing vegetables can improve the…