Panel Discussion

More than one third of the U.S. adult population and 17% of U.S. children are obese. While the causes of obesity in the United States are complex and numerous, the strategies for prevention can cover changes at the social, environmental, policy and individual levels. Schools have a critical role to play in preventing childhood obesity, and can also serve as building blocks for broader policy and environmental changes that prevent obesity and promote healthier communities. Farm to School programs, are rapidly growing in numbers, and are prevalent in all fifty states. By linking local farmers with schools to improve school meals; incorporating curriculum to promote local foods and agriculture; developing school gardens; and engaging farmers, food service, parents, teachers, healthcare providers, and youth, these programs can serve as precursors for longer-term changes in the community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommend Farm to School programs, farmers’ markets and purchasing from local farms as a community strategy to prevent obesity. These innovative strategies, when successfully integrated into schools enable linkages with education, built environment, and collaborative efforts to develop the infrastructure, policies and systems for long-lasting community-wide changes. Panelists in this session are leaders from the fields of Farm to School, sustainable procurement, school food reform, community engagement and food service. They will highlight successes and barriers to improving school food environments, policies, procurement, education, and community and youth engagement initiatives to support healthier lifestyles in and outside of schools.

Session Objectives: 1. Describe strategies to improve the school food environment related to local food procurement, education, school gardens and policy development and their potential for community-wide benefits for obesity prevention. 2. Discuss the importance of engaging communities and youth in transforming school food environments, and list two examples of successful strategies.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)