Healthy Food, Healthy Kids Ashley Phillips PUBH 6165: Environmental Health April 26th, 2009

GOAL : To improve the school nutrition environment in the Roseland Community schools

Objectives: Make more healthier foods and beverages available to the students Change food and beverage vending contracts Develop marketing techniques to promote healthier food options in the school Motivate the students by educating them on the importance of healthy eating by giving them facts about obesity These objectives are designed to reach the goal of healthy choices in the school environment. It is recommended that each person should consume a total of 2-4 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Childhood Obesity Statistics: Nationally According to CDC, 16 percent of children between the age of 6-19 years old are overweight and obese In the past three decades, the number of childhood obesity has doubled in pre-school children Obesity rates in adolescent has tripled in teenagers from 12-19 years of age

Childhood Obesity Statistics: State and City Here is a chart that shows the child obesity rates in the nation compared to the state of Illinois and Chicago. As you can see, Chicago has the highest obesity rates in preschool children at 24% and elementary students at 27% then the entire nation and the state. What this means is that if the school district doesn’t start to change their nutrition environment, these rates will increase thus causing more chronic diseases.

Childhood Obesity Statistics: Roseland Community According to Mt. Sinai Community Healthy Survey, Report 1, children living in low-income communities of color in Chicago are more likely to be overweight then their counterparts. Taking at look at this map, Roseland community area has the highest percentage of blacks and also the highest percentage of obesity rates at 55%. This map shows that more obesity interventions need to be established in the Roseland community particularly in the schools where children spends most of their day.

Objective 1: Healthy food & drinks Include healthier options wherever food is available. Include these options in the cafeteria, student stores, snack bars and fundraising activities. There are many ways to accomplish these four objectives, and in the next few slides I will be discussing some of those ways that can be adopted. Making more healthier food and beverages more available for students will make it easier for students to choice these healthier option versus those food and beverage items that are high in calories and sugar. Some of these ways is to include healthier options where students get most of their food, snack and drinks.

Objective 1: Cont’ Such options include: Water 100% fruit juices Vegetable dips Cheese Yogurt Fruit salads Granola bars Trail mix This is a list of healthy food and drinks that can be provided to students.

Objective 2: Vending Contracts Transfer the management of vending machines to the school food service program Improve the nutritional quality of beverages available under an existing contract Write a proposal for incentives for the school district and students by transferring the vending machines to the school service program, the school have the opportunity to increase healthier food options as well as save some money by eliminating external contracts. Speaking with the existing contractors for the vending machines and requesting that more fruit and vegetable juices to be included in the beverage vending machines will increase the number of students who actually choice the healthy drinks. Incentives such as lower the prices of healthier options in the vending machines and posting appealing pictures on the front of the machines will attract more kids to purchase them.

Top 5 Healthy Vending Machine Snacks Planters Sunflower Kernels (160 calories) Baked Lays Original (210 calories) Sun Chips Original (140 calories) Snyder's of Hanover Mini Pretzels (110 calories) Smart food Reduced-Fat Popcorn (120 calories) According to Fitness Machine, these are the top 5 healthy vending machine options that are best to include in any vending machine for healthy food choices and healthy nutrition.

Top 5 Unhealthy Vending Machine Snacks Drake’s Apple Fruit Pie (440 calories) Austin cheese crackers with cheddar cheese (210 calories) Pop Tarts Frosted Strawberry (420 calories) Doritos (250 calories) Skittles (250 calories)

Objective 3: Marketing Identify and offer healthy products that are appealing and meet students needs Use promotion strategies so that students know about these products and are motivated to try them Set prices at levels that will encourage students to purchase healthier foods Involve students and staff in promotional activities using signs, contests, games, health fairs, advertisements, flyers, banners, and other advertising options

Objective 4: Education Provide statistical facts with each school lunch to encourage students to learn about the health issues associated with poor nutrition Provide nutritional facts on each vending machine snack Provide a healthy food and physical activity to the school curriculum for healthy eating awareness

Complications of Obesity: Health Problems Type 2 Diabetes High Blood Pressure Asthma Eating Disorders Sleep Disorders Liver Disease This is a list of health problems that a child can develop due to improper eating habits and lack of physical exercise. These things can also be carried into adult life and can be genetically past down to children. If school aged children continue to be provided with junk food in school, the rate of these health issues are very high. Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the U.S and needs to be address.

Complications of Obesity: Social and Emotional Problems Low self-esteem Behavioral Problems Academic Problems Depression

Let Help Keep Our Children Healthy! REMEMBER…………………. “An Apple A Day, Keeps the Doctor Away”

Questions? Ashley Phillips Walden MPH Student Ashley.ryals@waldenu.edu Thank you for your time and consideration. I really hope to help reduce this huge epidemic of childhood obesity by improving the nutrition environment in your schools through the methods I have provide you today. This help our children live longer.

References: Whitman S, Williams C, Shah A.  Sinai Health System's Community Health Survey: Report 1.  Chicago, IL: Sinai Health System, 2004. Available at http://www.suhichicago.org/files/publications/P.pdf, accessed 6 Sept, 2007. Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC). 2009. Retrieved on April 25th, 2009 from National Association of Children’s Hospital. 2007. Childhood obesity statistics and facts. Retrieved on April 25th, 2009 from http://www.childrenshospitals.net/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Homepage&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=41737 United States Department of Agriculture: Food and Nutrition. 2009. Retrieved on April 26th, 2009 from http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Default.htm Mind, Body and Soul Fitness. 2009. 10 Healthy (unhealthy) vending machine snacks. Retrieved on April 25th, 2009 from http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/snacks/healthy/vending-machine-snacks/ Mayo Clinic. 2008. Childhood Obesity. Retrieved on April 26th, 2009 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childhood-obesity/DS00698/DSECTION=complications