The Link between Nutrition and Physical Activity, and Academic Achievement

1
The Link between Nutrition and Physical
Activity, and Academic Achievement

• Welcome!

This program was developed by the California
Department of Educations Nutrition Services
Division, with funding from The California
Endowment. Revisions were completed with funds
from the California Department of Public Health,
Network for a Healthy California, funded by the
United Sates Department of Agricultures
Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program
(formerly the Food Stamp Program). These
institutions are equal opportunity providers and
employers. In California, food stamps provide
assistance to low-income households, and can help
buy nutritious foods for better health. For food
stamp information, call 1-877-847-3663. For
important nutrition information visit
www.cachampionsforchange.net
Partner California Department of Education,
Nutrition Services Division
2
The Link between Nutrition and Physical
Activity, and Academic Achievement

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• Enter your title here
• Enter your agency affiliation here
• Enter your phone number here
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Objectives of this Training

• Identify three ways that nutrition and physical
  activity impact health.
• Identify three ways that nutrition and physical
  activity impact learning.
• Describe risky nutrition and physical activity
  behavior trends and access appropriate local
  reports.
• Brainstorm action steps to address the Link
  between Nutrition and Physical Activity, and
  Academic Achievement.

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Health Check - Quiz

• On average, Americans meet the recommended
  percent of calories from fat (20 to 35).
• In the last ten years, Americans have decreased
  their intake of sweeteners.
• Approximately 75 of Californian adults are
  active at least 5 days a week for 30 minutes a
  day.

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Nutrition and Physical Activity Trends
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Nutrition and Physical Activity TrendsAre
Americans Physically Active?
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The Food Guide Pyramid
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Nutrition and Physical Activity TrendsHow are
Americans Eating?

• Number of Servings
• Americans Are Eating
• Grains 6.8 (1 whole grain)
• Vegetables 3.2 servings
• Fruit 1.5 servings
• Meat 4.9 servings
• Dairy 1.5 servings

• USDA Dietary
• Recommendations
• Grains 6-10 servings
  (3 whole grain)
• Vegetables 5 servings
• Fruit 4 servings
• Meat 2-3 servings
• Dairy 2-3 servings

Recommendations based on MyPyramid and the
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005 and
consumption data is from the Continuing Survey of
Food Intake by Individuals (CSFII), 1999-2000.
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Health ImplicationsActual Causes of Death,
2000United States
Source Mokolad, et. al. (2004). Actual Causes of
Death in the United States, 2000. JAMA, 291
1238-1245.
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Health ImplicationsObesity Trends Among U.S.
Adults between 1985 and 2008

• Definitions
• Obesity Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
  (BMI 30, or 30 lbs overweight for 5 4
  woman)
• Body Mass Index (BMI) A measure of an adults
  weight in relation to his or her height,
  specifically the adults weight in kilograms
  divided by the square of his or her height in
  meters.

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Obesity Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1985
(BMI 30, or 30 lbs. overweight for 5 4
person)
No Data lt10 1014
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Obesity Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1990
(BMI 30, or 30 lbs. overweight for 5 4
person)
No Data lt10 1014
13
Obesity Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1995
(BMI 30, or 30 lbs. overweight for 5 4
person)
No Data lt10 1014
1519
14
Obesity Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2000
(BMI 30, or 30 lbs. overweight for 5 4
person)
No Data lt10 1014
1519 20
15
Obesity Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2005
(BMI 30, or 30 lbs. overweight for 5 4
person)
No Data lt10 1014
1519 2024 2529
30
16
Obesity Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2008
(BMI 30, or 30 lbs. overweight for 5 4
person)
No Data lt10 1014
1519 2024 2529
30
17
Obesity Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1990,
1999, 2008
(BMI ?30, or about 30 lbs. overweight for 54
person)
1999
1990
2008
No Data lt10 1014
1519 2024 2529
30
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Student Nutrition and Physical Activity Trends

• American children obtained 50 percent of calories
  from added fat and sugar and 65 percent of
  California teens reported eating 2 or more
  servings of sodas and low nutrient foods
• Only 33 percent of California teens eat the
  recommended servings of fruit and vegetables
• 50 percent of California teens reported eating no
  servings of vegetables
• 60 percent of California children do not meet the
  recommended 60 minutes of physical activity

2004 CalTEENS Data, California Department of
Public Health, Public Health Institute, Cancer
Prevention and Nutrition Section, Research and
Evaluation Unit.
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Student Health Implications Overweight Children
in California
In California, almost 34 percent of 9 to 11 year
olds and 21 percent of 12 to 17 year olds are
either overweight or at risk for being overweight
Image source California Center for Public Health
Advocacy-2003
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Student Health Implications

• 80 of obese adolescents remain obese as adults
• An increase in childhood type 2 diabetes is
  paralleling the rising rates of obesity and
  overweight
• Risk factors for heart disease now seen in
  children
• Dental caries affects 50 percent of youths ages 5
  to 17

Nutrition and Youth Health Statistics. (2005)
California Project LEAN, Healthy Food Policy
Resource Guide.
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Student Academic Implications

• Healthier students typically do better in
  schoolWe know that strong bodies and strong
  minds work together to helpour students
  succeed.
• December 2008

Jack OConnellState Superintendent of Public
Instruction
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Poor Nutrition Impacts School Achievement

• Malnutrition and moderate under nutrition can
  have lasting effects on cognitive development
• Childrens brain function is diminished by
  short-term or periodic hunger or malnutrition
  skipping meals
• Anemia shortens attention span, causes
  irritability, fatigue, and difficulty
  concentrating

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Childrens Eating Habits

• What of children under age 12 are hungry or
  at-risk for hunger?
• What of children are likely to skip breakfast?

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Think about a time when you had a very busy day
and you did not get a chance to eat breakfast and
there was no food available to snack on when you
started to feel hungry. How did you feel after
six hours of no food?
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Childrens Eating Habits

• What is the most prevalent nutrition deficiency
  disease?
• What of low-income children have this disease?

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Poor Nutrition Impacts School Achievement

• Fatigue/lethargic/irritable
• Susceptible to infection
• Stomach pain/headaches
• Anxiety/anger/indecisiveness
• Sleepiness

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Good Nutrition Enhances School Achievement

• Better performance
• Better concentration
• Improved attention span
• Quicker and more accurate retrieval of
  information
• Fewer errors in problem-solving activities
• Less absenteeism
• Fewer behavioral problems

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Energy Available For LearningSugary vs. Balanced
Breakfast
Energy Release
Energy Release
Time
Meal eaten and energy released from sugar
Meal eaten and Energy released Energy
released energy released from protein
from fat from sugar and starch
Sections of Better Breakfast, Better Learning
reprinted with permission from the Child
Nutrition and Food Distribution Division,
California Department of Education
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Nutrition and Physical Activity Impact School
Scores!!
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• Breakfast Consumption and API Scores
  (Concurrent Relationship)

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• Breakfast Consumption and API Scores
  (Concurrent Relationship)

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• Nutritious Intake and API Scores (Concurrent
  Relationship)

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Garden Education Raises Science Scores

• Students in third, fourth and fifth grade
  participated in school gardening activities
• Weekly garden reinforced by hands-on classroom
  activities
• Higher science achievement scores compared to
  those who did not have garden activities
• Klemmer, Waliczek, 2005 (Louisianna schools)

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Physical Activity and Fitness affects School
Achievement

• Higher achievement was associated with higher
  levels of fitness at each grade level tested
• Strong relationship between fitness, reading, and
  math scores at each grade level
• Greatest gains when students met 3 or more
  minimum fitness standards

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Grade 5 SAT-9 and Physical Fitness Scores
Source www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/pe/pe.html
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Grade 7 SAT-9 and Physical Fitness Scores
Source www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/pe/pe.html
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Grade 9 SAT-9 and Physical Fitness Scores
Source www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/pe/pe.html
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• Physical Activity and API Scores
• (Concurrent Relationship)

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In addition

• Another study demonstrated that increased
  physical activity (240 minutes per week) leads to
  consistently higher mathematics scores (Symons
  CW, et al. Bridging student health risks and
  academic achievement through comprehensive school
  health programs. Journal of School Health
  199767(6)220-227)
• And yet another demonstrated that students
  involved with the school breakfast program or
  physical activity program are calmer in class and
  more energetic when studying (Shepard, RJ.
  Curricular physical activity and academic
  performance. Pediatric Exercise Science
  19979113-126

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Student Health and Physical Education Raises
Scores

• Health Education Third and fourth grade students
  who received comprehensive health education had
  significantly higher reading and math scores.
  Schoener, Guerrero, and Whitney, 1988
• Intensive Physical Education programs had higher
  reading, math and writing scores and reduced
  disruptive behaviors in the classroom. Sallis,
  1999

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• We must understand this important truth that
  improving childrens health likely improves
  school performance. It may even help a schools
  bottom line.

David Satcher
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Health Affects Attendance

• Students with poor nutrition physical fitness
  more likely to be absent and tardy. Murphy, 1998
• Very overweight students miss 4-6 times more
  school than normal weight kids. Schwimmer 2003AHK

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What You Can Do!

• Share District Data with Vision
• - Make the connection between health and
  academics with district-specific data
• - Get others involved
• Integrate Nutrition and Physical Activity Into
  Your Districts Achievement Strategic Plans
• Discuss District Wellness Policy
• Include Nutrition and Physical Activity in
  Program Improvement
• Emphasize turn-key approaches

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What can you do?

• Be a role model! Your students look up to you!
• Help teach nutrition education in the classroom
  using educational material linked to content
  standards. There are great resources available!
• Incorporate some form of physical activity in
  your classroom. Every minute helps!
• Be active with your schools Network for a
  Healthy California!

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Other Resources

• California Healthy Kids Resource Center
  www.californiahealthykids.org
• American Cancer Society
  www.cancer.org
• USDA Local School Wellness Policy
  www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/wellnesspolicy.html
• Action for Healthy Kids www.actionforhealthykids.
  org

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Other Resources

• The California Food Guide www.dhcs.ca.gov/formsan
  dpubs/publications/Pages/CaliforniaFoodGuide.aspx
• California Project LEAN www.californiaprojectlean
  .org
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  www.cdc.gov
• USDA MyPyramid www.mypyramid.gov

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Remember The Man Who Believes He Can Do
Something Is Probably Right, And So is the
Man Who Believes He Cant
48

• Thank You!
• For more information or assistance, please
  contact

This program was developed by the California
Department of Educations Nutrition Services
Division, with funding from The California
Endowment. Revisions were completed with funds
from the California Department of Public Health,
Network for a Healthy California, funded by the
United Sates Department of Agricultures
Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program
(formerly the Food Stamp Program). These
institutions are equal opportunity providers and
employers. In California, food stamps provide
assistance to low-income households, and can help
buy nutritious foods for better health. For food
stamp information, call 1-877-847-3663. For
important nutrition information visit
www.cachampionsforchange.net
Partner California Department of Education,
Nutrition Services Division