Oral

This session focuses on the types of activities, laws, and programs that are being instituted throughout the country to improve the food and beverage environment in schools and childcare settings. Through ongoing education children can be taught to make healthier lifestyle choices about food intake and physical activity; these decisions can and do affect well-being over the course of a lifetime. Improving the food and beverage environment can be accomplished through innovative programs, partnerships, standards, and/or laws at the local or national level. We will first hear about programs at the local level that have been instituted. One such program looks at meeting nutrition and physical activity standards in the city of Chicago in an attempt to prevent obesity in licensed childcare centers. Another intervention in Maryland alters the cafeteria environment, utilizes cafeteria staff as ‘choice architects’, and incorporates key partnerships to improve the dietary quality of students. We will also hear about the national level; with multiple partnerships, the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools program attempts to improve food choices and behaviors in students from grades K through 12. Finally, we will hear about state laws related to physical education and to competitive foods standards in schools and their associations with weight among students. Utilizing progressive programs, partnerships, and laws can improve the life course of our children’s health today, and in the future.

Session Objectives: Describe the programs, partnerships, standards, and laws at the local and national levels that can improve the food and beverage environment in schools and child care settings.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)