Making the Connection Student Health and Academic Success

Making the Connection: Student Health and Academic Success

Building Healthy Students Family School Community

Mississippi’s children are facing a weight, nutrition, and health crisis.

Mississippi Health Challenges Health Issue MS Obesity rates in adults 1 st in US Heart disease deaths 1 st in US Hypertension 1 st in US Sedentary lifestyle (low activity) 1 st in US Diabetes rates 2 nd in US

Youth Risk Survey (YRBS) MS 2003 MS 2007 USA 2005 Overweight 16% 18% 13% At risk for being overweight 16% 18% 16% Less than 3 servings milk/day 89% 84% Less than 5 servings F+V/day 80% 81% 80% More than 3 hrs. TV/school day 54% 47% 37% PE one or more days per week 31% 36% 54% PE every day at school 23% 33% Health Behavior www. healthyschoolsms. org/2007 yrbsdatapage. htm

Health Issues Overweight Undernourished Sedentary Diabetes (type 2) CHD Risk Factors

Academic Issues Overweight Undernourished Sedentary Diabetes (type 2) CHD Risk Factors

Percentage of U. S. Children and Adolescents Who Are Overweight* Hubbard, 2006 * >95 th percentile for BMI by age and sex based on 2000 CDC BMI-for-age growth charts **Data are from 1963 -65 for children 6 -11 years of age and from 1966 -70 for adolescents 12 -17 years of age Source: National Center for Health Statistics

Being overweight is an academic issue Overweight children have more school absences than children with a healthy weight. Seriously overweight children report a lower quality of life. Weight-related teasing is a major cause of bullying at school.

UNDERNOURISHED

Being undernourished is an academic issue Optimal nutrition is necessary for optimal cognitive functioning. Zinc, iron, B-vitamins, and other nutrients are critically important to brain function and brain function. Sub-optimal nutrition can affect academic performance and even IQ scores.

UNDERNOURISHED

Importance of Dairy Kids who avoid milk are more likely to be overweight and to have bone fractures. Higher milk intake in children is associated with lower body fat.

Importance of Breakfast establishes the foundation for learning. Eating breakfast improves math grades, vocabulary skills, and memory. Students who eat breakfast have fewer absences, fewer discipline problems, and fewer visits to the school nurses’ offices. Youth who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight and eating breakfast at school improves overall nutrient intake.

SEDENTARY 47 percent watched 3 or more hours of TV on an average school day. 60 percent did not attend physical education classes. 76 percent did not attend physical education classes daily. 47 percent did not play on a sports team during the school year.

Being sedentary is an academic issue Research supports a connection between being active and improved brain performance. Children who achieve more fitness standards tend to score higher on standardized tests. Excessive screen time undermines children's education.

DIABETES Type 2 diabetes - once a disease of people over 40 - is increasingly common among children (as young as 9 and 10) African-American, Hispanic-American and Native American youth are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes CDC estimates “one in three children born in the US in 2000 will become diabetic during their lifetime …”

Type 2 diabetes is an academic issue Children with type 2 diabetes have more school absences. Fluctuating blood sugar levels contribute to poor behavior and other school problems. Children with type 2 diabetes also need more intensive nursing services.

Research from U. Georgia and Medical College of Georgia 200 overweight, inactive 7 -11 year olds received nutrition education and 20 or 40 minutes of vigorous after-school activity Three month program reduced body fat and diabetes risk, while improving bone density, thinking and decision making Insulin resistance improved more in the children who were active for 40 minutes

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) High blood pressure (HBP) and pre-HBP are on the rise among youth, esp. among boys, African-Americans, and Hispanics. Higher BMI during childhood is associated with an increased risk of CHD in adulthood, esp. among boys. Current data suggests that high BMI in adolescents will increase rates of CHD among future young/middle-aged adults.

CHD risk factors are an academic issue Like children with other serious health issues, those HPB and other CHD risk factors may have more absences. They may also require more intensive nursing services while at school. Young people with these problems are not fit, healthy, and ready to succeed.

Building Healthy Students Family School Community

Building Healthy Students Breakfast at home or school Physical education/activity daily Time to enjoy a balanced lunch Health/nutrition education Positive non-food rewards Smart snack opportunities

School Wellness Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004

Wellness Policy A document - approved by the local school board - that promotes a healthy school environment. By focusing on nutrition and physical activity standards, a wellness policy seeks to improve children’s health, classroom behaviors, and academic performance. Mandated by USDA for School Year 2006 -07

What the law required starting in 2006 -07… Goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and activities to promote wellness Nutrition guidelines for all foods available during the school day Ways of measuring how well the policy is being implemented Involvement of parents, students, school board, foodservice, administrators, teachers, and the public

Mississippi Success: MDE Board Passes Vending Regulations ~ October 2006 As of 2007 -2008 all full calorie, sugar carbonated soft drinks can not be sold As of 2008 -2009 bottled water, lowfat and nonfat milk, 100% juice, no/low calorie beverages and light juices or sports drinks may be sold* Nutritional standards set for snack vending * Requirements vary by grade level www. healthyschoolsms. org/nutrition_services/Vending. html

Mississippi Success: Mississippi Legislature Mandates Student Health Councils, November 2006 A School Health Council (SHC) is an advisory group composed of committed individuals from both the school and the community. The group works together to provide guidance and leadership to the school on all aspects of the school health program.

Mississippi Success: Mississippi Legislature Passes Healthy Students Act ~ 2007 Senate Bill 2369 Mandates for 2008 -09 (grades K-8) l l 150 minutes per week of Physical Education 45 minutes per week of Health Education Requires MDE to regulate statewide improvements in school nutrition programs www. cn. mde. k 12. ms. us/resources/SB 2369041307. pdf

Mississippi Success: Mississippi Legislature Passes Mary Kirkpatrick Haskell-Mary Sprayberry Public School Nurse Program ~ 2007 House Bill 1132 To provide for a public school nurse program to be administered by the Department of Education through the Office of Healthy Schools To specify the responsibilities of the nurses in the program To prescribe the duties of the Office of Healthy Schools in administering the program

Who benefits? Administrators Teachers Schools Families

Who benefits? STUDENTS