School Tool Kit

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, reaching young people where they live, learn, and play, and schools play a vital role in addressing childhood obesity by reshaping social and physical environments and providing information, tools, and practical strategies to help students adopt healthy lifestyles.

• More than 95% of young people are enrolled in schools.
• Students have the opportunity to eat a large portion of their daily food intake and to be physically active at school.
• Schools are an ideal setting for teaching young people how to adopt and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.
• Research shows that well-designed, well-implemented school programs can effectively promote physical activity and healthy eating.
• Emerging research documents the connections between physical activity, good nutrition, physical education and nutrition programs, and academic performance.

Toolkit for Parents

As the chief medical officers of their family, parents have to make sure their children are healthy. The most important step in ensuring they achieve that goal starts off with establishing a healthy environment. More than 9 million children nationwide are considered overweight or obese. The long term health impact will have a devastating impact on their lives. Studies indicate that the majority of overweight children become overweight adults. Healthy habits start during childhood. As parents, it’s important to teach kids to eat proper foods and exercise. Obesity is preventative and parents can take the initiative to make sure that their child can have a healthy life.

Toolkit for Communities

Help your community take simple steps to creating a healthy environment for its residents. Communities can hold events and create places that will help people stay active and encourage healthy eating habits.

Having access to the following things helps make a community healthy:

• grocery stores selling healthy foods and farmers’ markets
• parks, playgrounds and other places to be active outside
• safe walkable streets
• public transportation
• neighbors who know each other
• healthcare

With these things in place, people that live in the community will be likely to live healthier lives. The community plays a big part in our overall health and wellness. However, our community is only as strong as its members. We have to be active participants in making our community a healthy community.