What parents can do

Parents and Schools Can Work Together to Reverse the Trends

If you had a magic wand and could change one feature in the school nutrition environment would you? Perhaps you would choose to increase the time children have to eat lunch, replace soda in vending machines with healthier choices or avoid fundraising with candy and cookies? A healthy school nutrition environment is not only healthy school meals, but it also involves commitment, a foundation of policy and nutrition education.

Nearly one in three children and adolescents are now overweight or at risk of being overweight. Less than 2% of children meet dietary recommendations and nearly half of 12-21 year-olds do not engage in enough physical activity. The statistics are alarming and sadly there is no mysterious potion to make the problem go away. A sedentary lifestyle, increased consumption of soft drinks and super size portions are just some of the contributors to this current health crisis. What can parents in cooperation with schools do to reverse the trends?

Parents not only are the best role models for children at home, but also can be vital and key partners in the school health promotion team. As a parent you can:

Let administrators and board members know that what your child eats at school matters to you,

volunteer to serve on a nutrition advisory council to help assess the current school environment and plan improvement,

do lunch with the kids to see what they eat at school,

ask for nutrition facts to make sure school menus meet the Dietary Guidelines and

support school activities and programs that promote smart food choices.

Parents and schools working together can help ensure a brighter future for Illinois children.

What can parents do at home?

Statistically the facts are that poor nutrition habits and lack of physical activity lead to lower academic achievement. Children, who suffer from poor nutrition during the brain’s most formative years, score much lower on tests of vocabulary, reading comprehension, arithmetic and general knowledge. Another negative impact on children’s ability to learn is short-term hunger, like skipping breakfast. You may be surprised to know that research also shows benefits for regular physical activity. Active children tend to have higher levels of self-esteem, lower levels of stress, better ability to maintain a healthy weight and improved academic achievement.

It seems nutrition and physical activity may be the last thing on a parent’s agenda in their whirlwind of daily responsibilities. How can families make it easy to be active and eat healthy? Listed are some helpful tips:

Reduce TV watching and plan a trip to the zoo, plant a garden or go on a family hike.

At large family gatherings plan physical activities like running games or a walk in the park.

Involve children in selecting and preparing healthy food at home.

Try quick meals like, an egg burrito, sandwich roll-up or fruit salad mixed with low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese.

Serve easy snacks of fruit and vegetables like, baby carrots with low-fat dip or apple slices with peanut butter.

The good news is that the whole family will benefit from your efforts. Parents are powerful role models for children and can make food, fun and fitness an important part of every day.

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