The Learning Connection: Better Health, Better Performance

By Alicia Moag-Stahlberg

Not so long ago, most parents insisted that their children eat a balanced breakfast before going to school, and had time to serve it to them. Children came home at the end of the day and played outside. Many children walked or rode their bikes to school. TV was limited to a few basic channels, and computers were nonexistent.

Today, less than 25 percent of children get 30 minutes of any type of physical activity every day, and nearly four in 10 high school students watch at least three hours of TV on an average school day. Only 2 percent of children consume the recommended number of servings from all five major food groups, and more than 80 percent consume too much saturated fat. As most parents know, poor eating habits and lack of physical activity are the root causes of obesity and being overweight. But did you know that these factors also affect academic performance?

Dozens of studies have examined some aspect of the relationship between children's health and their educational experience. Some of these studies are highlighted in The Learning Connection: The Value of Improving Nutrition and Physical Activity in Our Schools, published by Action for Healthy Kids. (Action for Healthy Kids is a partnership of more than 50 national organizations and government agencies concerned with education, physical activity, health, and nutrition; PTA is one of the partnering organizations.) The Learning Connection report was commissioned to serve as a wake-up call for schools and reveals that many school practices and policies may be counterproductive to learning. For example, in an effort to improve academic performance, some schools have cut time for physical activity, reducing or eliminating recess and/or physical education. Research indicates, however, that providing extra time for physical activity can increase test scores, even when providing that extra time reduces academic class time. Here are some other key findings reported in The Learning Connection that demonstrate the need for schools to make health-improving changes:

• Schools with high percentages of students who did not routinely engage in physical activity or eat well had smaller gains in test scores than did other schools.
• Well-nourished students who skip breakfast perform worse on tests and exhibit poorer concentration than they would if they ate breakfast.
• Children not getting adequate nutrients have lower test scores, greater absenteeism, more difficulty concentrating, and lower energy levels.
• Physical activity programs are linked to stronger academic achievement, increased concentration, and improved math, reading, and writing test scores.
• Students participating in daily physical education exhibit better attendance, a more positive attitude toward school, and superior academic performance.

Schools often bear the costs of poor health
The majority of today's children are sedentary and do not eat well. As a result, more than 9 million children are overweight or obese—three times more than in 1980. The incidence of type 2 diabetes among children is higher than ever before. Asthma, gallbladder disease, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and eating disorders are also attributed to poor nutrition, inactivity, and being overweight.

These complications from unhealthy lifestyles can be taxing on schools. Additional staff time and resources are needed to provide remediation for children whose academic performance suffers due to these problems. In many school districts, children's poor nutrition, inactivity, and resulting weight problems have a direct effect on the district's budget, as the district loses dollars every time a child is absent. Severely overweight children are absent up to four times more often than normal-weight students. In states that use attendance to help determine state funding for schools, a single-day absence by just one student can cost a school district anywhere from $9 to $20.

Evidence abounds to support the notion that healthier kids learn better and have more positive experiences at school. Translating this data into action is the challenge. Schools play a critical and unique role in curbing childhood obesity and improving children's health. But schools can't and shouldn't act alone. Parents and community members must collaborate with schools to help improve school health environments.

How parents can make a difference
In 2004, Congress passed the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, requiring every school district participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program (which is most districts) to develop and begin implementing a local wellness policy by the start of the 2006-2007 school year. The legislation stipulated that parents be involved in drafting the wellness policies. Each wellness policy must include goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness; nutrition guidelines for all foods available on the school campus during the school day; school meals guidelines that meet federal standards; and a plan for measuring implementation.

The federal mandate for districts to draft and implement wellness policies represents a milestone in the effort to improve nutrition and physical activity in schools. However, even though the deadline to establish policies has passed, schools are at various stages of policy development and implementation. By involving themselves in the work, parents can play a critical role in ensuring that this opportunity is fully realized.

Parents also must educate themselves about the current policies of their children's schools. A 2005 survey of 638 parents of children in grades K-12 revealed startling disparities between parents' expectations of nutrition and physical activity practices at their children's schools and the reality.

The survey found that 70 percent of the parents queried would like schools to restrict access to high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. Half of the parents felt that their children's schools were doing an "excellent" to "good" job in this area. The reality is quite different, though. The Government Accountability Office estimates that nearly 90 percent of all schools (elementary, middle, and high schools) sell "competitive foods" (foods that compete with school lunches) in the school cafeteria or through school stores or vending machines.

Many parents are similarly misinformed when it comes to physical activity practices. Seventy-seven percent of the parents surveyed would like their children to have daily physical education, and 62 percent rated their children's schools as "excellent" or "good" on making daily physical education available for all students. In reality, however, just 5.8 to 8.0 percent of schools nationally (depending on grade level) provide students with daily physical education.

Improving nutrition and physical activity in schools can have a lasting impact. Improved academic performance, less absenteeism, better concentration, and fewer behavior problems are just a start. Consider the influence that schools have on millions of American children. Teaching those children how to eat well and the importance of being active will help instill healthy habits that will last a lifetime. In addition, research shows that children often bring these learnings home, improving the health of the entire family. Making improvements in the school has the potential to produce far-reaching benefits.

Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, MS, RD, is the executive director of Action for Healthy Kids. Thousands of volunteers serve on Action for Healthy Kids Teams in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, working to improve children's nutrition and physical activity levels through changes at schools. PTA members and all parents are invited to join an Action for Healthy Kids Team. Learn more about Action for Healthy Kids and read the entire Learning Connection report, published in fall 2004, at www.actionforhealthykids.org.

The Learning Connection: Better Health, Better Performance

By Alicia Moag-Stahlberg

Not so long ago, most parents insisted that their children eat a balanced breakfast before going to school, and had time to serve it to them. Children came home at the end of the day and played outside. Many children walked or rode their bikes to school. TV was limited to a few basic channels, and computers were nonexistent.

Today, less than 25 percent of children get 30 minutes of any type of physical activity every day, and nearly four in 10 high school students watch at least three hours of TV on an average school day. Only 2 percent of children consume the recommended number of servings from all five major food groups, and more than 80 percent consume too much saturated fat. As most parents know, poor eating habits and lack of physical activity are the root causes of obesity and being overweight. But did you know that these factors also affect academic performance?

Dozens of studies have examined some aspect of the relationship between children's health and their educational experience. Some of these studies are highlighted in The Learning Connection: The Value of Improving Nutrition and Physical Activity in Our Schools, published by Action for Healthy Kids. (Action for Healthy Kids is a partnership of more than 50 national organizations and government agencies concerned with education, physical activity, health, and nutrition; PTA is one of the partnering organizations.) The Learning Connection report was commissioned to serve as a wake-up call for schools and reveals that many school practices and policies may be counterproductive to learning. For example, in an effort to improve academic performance, some schools have cut time for physical activity, reducing or eliminating recess and/or physical education. Research indicates, however, that providing extra time for physical activity can increase test scores, even when providing that extra time reduces academic class time. Here are some other key findings reported in The Learning Connection that demonstrate the need for schools to make health-improving changes:

• Schools with high percentages of students who did not routinely engage in physical activity or eat well had smaller gains in test scores than did other schools.
• Well-nourished students who skip breakfast perform worse on tests and exhibit poorer concentration than they would if they ate breakfast.
• Children not getting adequate nutrients have lower test scores, greater absenteeism, more difficulty concentrating, and lower energy levels.
• Physical activity programs are linked to stronger academic achievement, increased concentration, and improved math, reading, and writing test scores.
• Students participating in daily physical education exhibit better attendance, a more positive attitude toward school, and superior academic performance.

Schools often bear the costs of poor health
The majority of today's children are sedentary and do not eat well. As a result, more than 9 million children are overweight or obese—three times more than in 1980. The incidence of type 2 diabetes among children is higher than ever before. Asthma, gallbladder disease, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and eating disorders are also attributed to poor nutrition, inactivity, and being overweight.

These complications from unhealthy lifestyles can be taxing on schools. Additional staff time and resources are needed to provide remediation for children whose academic performance suffers due to these problems. In many school districts, children's poor nutrition, inactivity, and resulting weight problems have a direct effect on the district's budget, as the district loses dollars every time a child is absent. Severely overweight children are absent up to four times more often than normal-weight students. In states that use attendance to help determine state funding for schools, a single-day absence by just one student can cost a school district anywhere from $9 to $20.

Evidence abounds to support the notion that healthier kids learn better and have more positive experiences at school. Translating this data into action is the challenge. Schools play a critical and unique role in curbing childhood obesity and improving children's health. But schools can't and shouldn't act alone. Parents and community members must collaborate with schools to help improve school health environments.

How parents can make a difference
In 2004, Congress passed the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, requiring every school district participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program (which is most districts) to develop and begin implementing a local wellness policy by the start of the 2006-2007 school year. The legislation stipulated that parents be involved in drafting the wellness policies. Each wellness policy must include goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness; nutrition guidelines for all foods available on the school campus during the school day; school meals guidelines that meet federal standards; and a plan for measuring implementation.

The federal mandate for districts to draft and implement wellness policies represents a milestone in the effort to improve nutrition and physical activity in schools. However, even though the deadline to establish policies has passed, schools are at various stages of policy development and implementation. By involving themselves in the work, parents can play a critical role in ensuring that this opportunity is fully realized.

Parents also must educate themselves about the current policies of their children's schools. A 2005 survey of 638 parents of children in grades K-12 revealed startling disparities between parents' expectations of nutrition and physical activity practices at their children's schools and the reality.

The survey found that 70 percent of the parents queried would like schools to restrict access to high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. Half of the parents felt that their children's schools were doing an "excellent" to "good" job in this area. The reality is quite different, though. The Government Accountability Office estimates that nearly 90 percent of all schools (elementary, middle, and high schools) sell "competitive foods" (foods that compete with school lunches) in the school cafeteria or through school stores or vending machines.

Many parents are similarly misinformed when it comes to physical activity practices. Seventy-seven percent of the parents surveyed would like their children to have daily physical education, and 62 percent rated their children's schools as "excellent" or "good" on making daily physical education available for all students. In reality, however, just 5.8 to 8.0 percent of schools nationally (depending on grade level) provide students with daily physical education.

Improving nutrition and physical activity in schools can have a lasting impact. Improved academic performance, less absenteeism, better concentration, and fewer behavior problems are just a start. Consider the influence that schools have on millions of American children. Teaching those children how to eat well and the importance of being active will help instill healthy habits that will last a lifetime. In addition, research shows that children often bring these learnings home, improving the health of the entire family. Making improvements in the school has the potential to produce far-reaching benefits.

Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, MS, RD, is the executive director of Action for Healthy Kids. Thousands of volunteers serve on Action for Healthy Kids Teams in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, working to improve children's nutrition and physical activity levels through changes at schools. PTA members and all parents are invited to join an Action for Healthy Kids Team. Learn more about Action for Healthy Kids and read the entire Learning Connection report, published in fall 2004, at www.actionforhealthykids.org.