Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118464

Cynthia Curl Henderson, MS, Integral Consulting, Inc., 1881 9th St. Suite 303, Boulder, CO 80302, 303 444 5677, ccurl@u.washington.edu and Nancy Alderman, MS, Environment and Human Health, Inc, 1191 Ridge Road, North Haven, CT 06473.

The Surgeon General has identified schools as key settings in which to implement public health strategies to reduce childhood obesity. However, current research nationwide suggests that schools often offer a prevalence of unhealthy food choices and limited nutrition and physical education. Gaining a first-hand understanding of the specific practices in our schools is necessary to design effective intervention programs able to create change. This study involved on-site visits to 62 schools in Connecticut, including schools from all eight counties and each of the nine economic groups defined by the State Board of Education. At each school, principals, health and PE teachers, food service directors, cafeteria staff, and students were interviewed regarding their school's nutrition and physical activity environments. Selected findings include:  Providing sufficient time for lunch is important in encouraging good eating habits. Students reported that when they felt they did not have enough time to buy and eat lunch, they usually bought snacks from vending machines or á la carte lines. However, at 34% of the schools, the last student in the lunch line had 10 minutes or less to eat lunch.  None of the schools in the study met the physical activity recommendations put forth by Healthy People 2010.  The average amount of nutrition education provided was 3 to 6 hrs per year.  Teachers, principals, and food service directors reported that they felt that the formation of school nutrition committees would result in better regulation of the food and beverages available during school.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the impact of the school nutrition and physical activity environments on student health.
• Understand the current state of nutrition education, food choices, physical education, and physical activity in Connecticut public schools.
• Prioritize changes and interventions to nutrition and physical activity environments in order to maximize impact on student health.

Keywords: School Health, Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation