After two years of implementing measures to improve children’s nutrition and physical activity, are schools showing progress in school wellness – or just giving promises? What gaps still exist? What remains to be done to effect positive change? This ground-breaking report assesses the extent to which school practices are improving the health of America’s children. The report is a compilation of one-on-one interviews with experts in the fields of public health, nutrition, education and child health; survey responses from more than 2,000 parents, teachers, administrators, school nutrition professionals and community health experts; and summarized data from recently published articles reporting on national surveillance studies and school wellness practices. Two briefs and two fact sheets were derived from the report. The briefs were created for school administrators and parents, and provide highlights of the original report and action steps for preparing children to live healthy, active lives. The fact sheets focus on nutritional quality and the state of school wellness.
The report, briefs and fact sheets were developed by MMS Education on behalf of Action for Healthy Kids, a national nonprofit organization, as part of their strategic initiative to improve children’s nutrition and increase physical activity, which will in turn improve their readiness to learn.