In 2015, the United States Congress replaced the "No Child Left Behind Elementary and Secondary Act" with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (P.L. 114-95), which identifies health and physical education as key components of a well-rounded education (Cooper, Greenberg, Castelli, Barton, Martin & Morrow, 2016). This followed a…

Objective: As childhood obesity continues to threaten the overall health of young people, K-12 teachers are uniquely poised to advocate for, and support food and nutrition, school lunch and student health. Yet, classroom teachers are largely uninvolved in school lunch. School lunch is typically viewed as separate from the rest of the school day…

Background: We assessed the associations of 5 school and 7 neighborhood variables with fifth-grade students achieving Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) or Needs Improvement-Health Risk (NI-HR) on aerobic capacity (AC) and body composition (BC) physical fitness components of the state-mandated FITNESSGRAM® physical fitness test. Methods: Data for outcome…

Background: Research on physical fitness often regards socioeconomic status (SES) as a confounding factor. However, few studies investigate the impact of SES on fitness. This study investigated the impact of SES on physical fitness in both males and females, with an economic-based construct of SES. Methods: The sample consisted of 954 6th, 7th,…

This study examines the overall results of the Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and the six fitness areas of the PFT, academic achievement, demographics and self perceptions and the potential impact on students' performance on the PFT. While academic expectations are increasing, the adolescent obesity rate is also increasing, producing a decline in the…

In 1989, California launched a statewide child health initiative including components on nutrition, health education, physical education, health services, counseling and psychological services, school safety, health promotion for staff, and parent and community involvement. A sidebar explains what principals can do to improve children's nutrition…

Studies show that childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Today, more than 23 million American children--or nearly one in every three--are overweight or obese. If childhood obesity is left unaddressed, a generation of individuals could face health, social, and economic challenges that promise to stress government…

The role of health educators in integrating child nutrition programs into school health education is discussed and issues attending such programs are considered. The importance of breakfast and lunch programs in the school is stressed with particular emphasis on using these programs to instruct children in sound nutritional practices. It is…

Presents testimony by representatives from several federal agencies and one national organization (W. S. Cohen, C. Levin, P. Vidmar, J. M. McGinnis, L. J. Kolbe, B. J. Nelsen, D. Ravitch, and M. Corry). (SM)

This Kids Count Data Book provides state and regional trends in the well-being of Connecticut's children. The statistical portrait is based on 19 indicators of well-being: (1) children in families receiving welfare; (2) children receiving free or reduced-price meals; (3) high school employment; (4) births to teen mothers; (5) low birth weight; (6)…