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School Health Guidelines

School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
CDC synthesized research and best practices related to promoting healthy eating and physical activity in schools, culminating in nine guidelines

Presentation Materials

School Health Tools

Select Tools and Resources for Schools: Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity [pdf 707K]
A list of CDC resources available encompassing nutrition, physical activity and obesity

School Health Index
A self-assessment and planning tool that schools can use to improve their health and safety policies and programs

Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT)
Helps school districts, schools, and others conduct a clear, complete, and consistent analysis of health education curricula based on the National Health Education Standards and CDC’s Characteristics of Effective Health Education Curricula

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Nutrition, General

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010
U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services

Fruits & Vegetables Galore
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service provides tips on planning, purchasing, preparing, presenting, and promoting fruits and vegetables along with suggestions for working with teachers

Choose My Plate.gov
Resources from the USDA to help people assess how much to eat of each food group

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Competitive Foods & School Nutrition Environment

Competitive Foods In Schools
CDC guidance and resources about nutrition standards for foods offered in competition with federally reimbursable meals and snacks

Implementing Strong Nutrition Standards for Schools: Financial Implications [pdf 1.9M]
Outlines the evidence-based, financial implications of schools that have implemented strong nutrition standards to address childhood obesity

Making It Happen! School Nutrition Success Stories [Order]
Tells the stories of schools and districts that have used innovative strategies to improve the nutritional quality of foods and beverages sold outside of federal meal programs

HealthierUS School Challenge
A voluntary initiative to recognize schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that have created healthier school environments through promotion of nutrition and physical activity

Changing the Scene: Improving the School Nutrition Environment
USDA’s Team Nutrition assists parents, school administrators, teachers, school food service employees, and others to examine and improve their school's nutrition environment

USDA Team Nutrition
An initiative to support Child Nutrition Programs through training and technical assistance for food service professionals, nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity

School Food Focus
A national collaborative that leverages the knowledge and procurement power of large school districts to make school meals nationwide more healthful, regionally sourced, and sustainably produced

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School Meal Programs

School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children
Institute of Medicine’s recommendations for school meals

Menu Planner for Healthy School Meals
How to plan, prepare, serve, and market healthy school meals

School Breakfast Toolkit
Information to help promote and expand school breakfast

Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools
Information to help implement salad bars in schools

Accommodating Children with Special Dietary Needs in the School Nutrition Programs: Guidance for School Food Service Staff [pdf 849K]
USDA

Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs
USDA

Eat Smart—Farm Fresh [pdf 1.3M]
A guide to buying and serving locally-grown produce in school meals

Farm to School
USDA

National Farm to School Network
Resources on buying local foods

National Food Service Management Institute
Training and resources on effective equipment-purchasing guidance and financial management practices for school nutrition programs

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Water and Other Beverages

Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2010: Water Availability During National School Lunch Program Meal Service [pdf 58K]
Guidance and answers to common questions about federal requirements on water availability during the National School Lunch Program meal service

Child Nutrition Reauthorization: Putting the Act into Action “Strategies for Success: Making the Most of the New School Water and Milk Requirements"
A webinar on how to implement federal water and milk requirements for the National School Lunch Program

Rethink Your Drink [pdf 514K]
Calorie information for drinks

Bottled Water and Fluoride
Information on drinking water, including data and statistics, drinking water systems, and health benefits

Drinking Water in Schools & Child Care Facilities
EPA's information about drinking water quality

Water in Schools
Information on current requirements and suggestions for how to make free drinking water available in schools

The Negative Impact of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages on Children's Health [pdf 408K]
Describes health effects of sugar-sweetened beverages, presents initial conclusions based on these studies, and identifies areas for further research

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Physical Education

Strategies to Improve the Quality of Physical Education [pdf 598K]
Outlines key strategies for increasing the amount of time that students are engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity while in physical education class

The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance [pdf 2.5M] (Full report) Executive Summary [pdf 309K]
CDC literature review indicates that physical activity can have positive effects on students’
grades and test scores

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool
Tool that helps schools and school districts conduct a clear, complete, and consistent analysis of written physical education curricula, based upon national physical education standards

Physical Education Is an Academic Subject [pdf 420K]
Provides a rationale for labeling physical education as an academic subject

National Physical Education Standards, Guidelines, and Position Statements
The National Association for Sport and Physical Education has established content standards for physical education school programs that clearly identify what a student should know and be able to do as a result of a quality physical education program

Program Improvement in Physical Education (PIPEline)
A workshop series, delivered by the National Association of Sport and Physical Education, on standards-based training for grade K-12 physical education teachers.

Student Assessment in Physical Education
Resources to provide quality student assessment in physical education

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Physical Activity

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
Science-based guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help Americans aged 6 years and older improve their health through physical activity

Youth Physical Activity Guidelines Toolkit [Order]
Highlights strategies that schools, families, and communities can use to support youth physical activity

Promoting Physical Activity: A Guide for Community Action
Guides users through a step-by-step process to address the target population's understanding and skills, the social networks, the physical environments in which they live and work, and the policies that most influence their actions

"VERB. It’s what you do."
VERB was a national, multicultural, social marketing campaign designed to encourage young people ages 9–13 years to be physically active every day

KidsWalk-to-School
Aims to increase opportunities for daily physical activity by encouraging children to walk to and from school in groups accompanied by adults

National Safe Routes to School
Assists states and communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bicycle to school

National Physical Activity Plan
A comprehensive set of policies, programs, and initiatives that aim to increase physical activity in all segments of the American population

President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition
Promotes a healthy lifestyle through fitness, sports, and nutrition programs and initiatives that educate, empower, and engage Americans of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities

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Overweight & Obesity

Make a Difference at Your School: Key Strategies to Prevent Obesity [pdf 1.7M]
Outlines 10 evidence-based strategies for schools to implement in addressing childhood obesity

The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation 2010 [pdf 840K]
Proposes obesity-prevention actions for schools, child care settings, workplaces, and communities

Research Tested Intervention Programs
A scoring process for comprehensive school-based programs focused on healthy eating and physical activity

Let’s Move
Federal initiative dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation

We Can! "Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition"
National Institutes of Health resources and programs for families, parents, caregivers, and youth to encourage healthy eating, increase physical activity, and reduce screen time

Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active!
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development helps young people ages 11–13 become aware of how media may influence the choices they make

Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program
Tools and strategies to promote physical activity and healthy eating before, during, and after school

School Nurse Childhood Obesity Prevention Education (S.C.O.P.E.) Manual
An education program developed by the National Association of School Nurses to provide strategies for school nurses to address the challenges of obesity and overweight

Pediatric Obesity Clinical Decision Support Chart 5210
Provides health care professionals with practical support and guidance to help improve care and outcomes for overweight youth

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Body Mass Index

Body Mass Index Measurement in Schools: Executive Summary [pdf 1.5M]
Full journal article [pdf 240K]
Describes the purpose of school-based body mass index (BMI) surveillance and screening programs, examines current practices, and reviews research on BMI measurement programs

Child and Teen BMI Calculator
Provides BMI and the corresponding BMI-for-age percentile on a CDC BMI-for-age growth chart for children and teens aged 2–19 years

Children's BMI Tool for Schools
Calculation tool for school, child care, and other professionals who want to compute BMI-for-age for a group of up to 2,000 children, such as for a school classroom or grade

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Policy

School-Based Obesity Prevention Strategies for State Policymakers [pdf 149K]
Describes physical activity and healthy eating strategies undertaken by states that have shown promise in helping schools address and prevent childhood obesity

Local Wellness School Policy
Provides links to tools and resources for schools to assist with the development of local wellness policies in accordance with federal law

Team Nutrition: Local Wellness Policy
USDA clearinghouse to help school districts develop and implement local wellness policies

Classification of Laws Associated with School Students (C.L.A.S.S.)
A scoring system for state-level codified laws for physical education and nutrition in schools

National Association of State Boards of Education School Health Policy Database
Includes a comprehensive set of school health laws and policies from all 50 states

State Legislative and Regulatory Action to Prevent Obesity and Improve Nutrition and Physical Activity
Searchable database of state legislation and regulations related to obesity, nutrition, and physical activity

Water Access in Schools Model Wellness Policy Language
Guidance for developing policies and best practices to increase access to free drinking water in schools

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After School

National After School Association Standards for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

Changing Lives, Saving Lives, A Step-by-Step Guide to Developing Exemplary Practices in Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Food Security in Afterschool Programs
Center for Collaborative Solutions

Guidelines for After School Physical Activity and Intramural Sport Programs [pdf 139K]
National Association for Sport and Physical Education

The Power of Choice: Helping Youth Make Healthy Eating and Fitness Decisions
Food and Drug Administration and USDA's Food and Nutrition Service

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Evaluation Results

Rapid evaluations are brief assessments of the process and impact of innovative programs and policies that seek to improve the health and well-being of youth. They involve nonexperimental or quasi-experimental methods, typically last 12–24 months, and are conducted through technical assistance to agencies or organizations implementing these initiatives.

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Contact Us:

Division of Adolescent and School Health
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