Health Education and Resource Team (HEART) Presented by: Lorrene Ritchie, Leslie Teruya-Acard, and Elsie Szeto Presented to: NHUSD School Board Presented on: April 28, 2005

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Health Education and Resource Team (HEART)
Presented by Lorrene Ritchie, Leslie
Teruya-Acard, and Elsie SzetoPresented to
NHUSD School BoardPresented on April 28, 2005
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Outline

• What is HEART?
• Why do we need HEART?
• How is HEART promoting health?
• What are the future plans for HEART?

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What Is HEART?

• HEART stands for Health Education and Resource
  Team
• Consists of a volunteer group of NHUSD teachers,
  staff, parents, and community members who meet
  once a month
• Formed in 2003 around common concerns about
  childrens health

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HEART Mission

• To promote healthy eating, physical activity,
  and healthy lifestyle choices through education,
  program and policy implementation, and
  environmental improvement.

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Why do we need HEART?
Most Children are NOT Getting Enough Physical
Activity
Meeting 6 of 6 fitness standards
Source Calif. Dept. of Educ. 2004 California
Physical Fitness Testing Results.
http//www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf/.
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Many Children are NOT Eating Healthy Foods

• Only 2 of children in the U.S. meet the Food
  Guide Pyramid recommendations for the intake of
  grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meats.
• Nearly half of California teens eat no vegetables
  whatsoever on a given day and not even a third
  eat the recommended number of fruits and
  vegetables.
• Most kids consume soda and/or candy on a daily
  basis. Nationally, by 14 years of age, 32 of
  girls and 52 of boys consume 24 oz or more of
  sweetened soda every day!
• A third eat one or more meals at a fast food
  restaurant and nearly one quarter have access to
  fast foods at school.

Sources Muñoz et al. Pediatrics
1997100323-9 USDA. http//www.barc.usda.gov/bhn
rc/foodsurvey/kidspr.html Ritchie et al. Center
for Weight and Health, UC Berkeley. 20011-127.
http//cnr.berkeley.edu/cwh/PDFs/Full_COPI_secure
.pdf).
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Childhood Overweight Has Increased Dramatically

Source Ogden et al. JAMA 20022881728-32.
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How Overweight Are Kids Locally?

Overweight and At risk for overweight
Source Calif. Dept. of Educ. 2004 California
Physical Fitness Testing Results.
http//www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf/.
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Associated Costs to Schools

• Poor nutrition and physical activity lead to
• Lower test scores
• Lower grades
• Lower school attendance
• Decreased ability to concentrate
• Less energy
• Poorer attitude toward school
• Overweight leads to a cost of
• 160,000 per year for average-sized CA school
  district

Source Action for Healthy Kids. The Learning
Connection . . . 2004. http//www.actionforhealth
ykids.org/
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What is HEART doing to promote health?

• Established coalition
• Discussed pediatric weight and health issues
• Assessed group resources and interests
• Assembled resource binder
• Used the CDCs School Health Index to identify
  strengths and areas for improvement
• Began instituting and recommending program and
  policy changes

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Strengthen Student Knowledge and Skills

• Include Nutrition Olympics in Field Day.
• Expand Walk to School Week activities.
• Conduct a Motion Match with pedometers.
• Promote use of school garden as fun, interactive
  way to teach children about nutrition.

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Promote Parent Family Learning

• Circulate flier to parents on healthy party
  snacks.
• Include article on nutrition and physical
  activity in principals newsletters to parents.
• Provide demonstration information on healthy
  nutrition at Friendly Friday parents meeting.
• Update SSC and PTC on HEART activities.
• Provide in-service to parents on child and family
  health, nutrition and physical fitness.
• Organize booth at Annual Science Fair.

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Inform Teachers Staff

• Encourage healthy foods at staff parties and
  functions.
• Provide in-service to teachers and staff by Dr.
  Scott Gee, Kaiser Pediatrician, on the importance
  of healthy nutrition and physical activity in
  children.
• Promote pedometer activities.
• Update teachers and staff on HEART activities.

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Foster Coalitions and Networks

• Encourage Leisure Services to offer healthy
  cooking/nutrition and lifestyle fitness classes.
• Invite additional teachers and staff to join via
  Superintendents Newsletter.
• Promote health and HEART at Logans Annual
  Science, Earth Health Festival.
• Share resources with other school districts and
  youth organizations (e.g., Adewole Community
  Group)

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Change Organizational Practices

• Promote alternatives to traditional junk food
  fundraisers that reflect healthy choices e.g.,
  Jog-A-Thon.
• Provide healthy alternatives to children on
  Friday Cookie Day.
• Alter school foodservice line to encourage
  selection from all of the major food groups.

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Influence Policy

• Institute 15 minute rule time children must
  stay and eat lunch before going out to recess.
• Institute policy to promote healthier choices at
  school parties and functions.
• Update School District on HEART activities.
• Write proposal to obtain grant monies to
  institutionalize healthy changes.

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Regulation of ala Carte Items (SB 19)

• Effective January 2004.
• Limits non-nutritive foods and beverages to be
  sold and offered to students on campus that are
  not part of the National School Lunch Program.
• Carbonated sodas are not allowed. Amounts of
  electrolytes in sports drink are limited.
• A .10 increase allocated to each reimbursable
  meal,.

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CA Childhood Obesity Prevention Act of 2003 (SB
677)

• Effective July 2004.
• Prohibits the sale of certain beverages at
  elementary and middle schools.
• Allowable beverages
• Water
• Milk
• Fruit juices made of at least 50 juice
• Sports drinks with limited added sweeteners.

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School District Health Policy Mandate

• By July 2006
• Each school district is required to develop a
  wellness program policy.
• Policy is to include goals for nutrition
  physical activity.

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How can NHUSD Support HEART?

• Get involved with HEART
• Join our email circulation to keep up-to-date
• Come to a HEART meeting
• Contact Ai James at ai_james_at_nhusd.k12.ca.us
• Request in-services for all schools
• For staff and parents
• Provided at no cost
• By Drs. Scott Gee and Lorrene Ritchie
• Support HEART to continue working on wellness
  programs and policy