Action for Healthy Kids
A collaboration of more than 40 national organizations and government agencies, the Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) initiative is addressing the epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary youth by focusing on changes in the school environment. AFHK is an integrated, national-state effort aimed at improving the health and educational performance of children through nutrition and physical activity opportunities in schools and communities. Supported by the national AFHK organization, the WV AFHK team consists of a diverse group of education, health, nutrition and physical activity representatives that work to encourage and facilitate meaningful change in schools. The WV AFHK team’s state-level Action Plan includes measurable objectives and strategies that expand opportunities for students to learn and engage in healthy eating and physical activity habits. The WV AFHK team has also developed recommendations and guidelines for use by administrators and legislators.
CARDIAC Project
The Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities (CARDIAC) project hopes to learn more about heart disease risk factors in children as a means of determining which children and their parents are at risk of developing early or premature coronary artery disease. The CARDIAC projects screens fifth-grade students throughout West Virginia to determine height, weight, body mass index, and blood pressure. This is the largest health promotion project of its kind in the nation. There are various interventions associated with the project including Healthy Hearts and Cardiac Challenge. The screening results of 23,007 5th graders reveal the alarming prevalence of obesity (45%), hypertension (16%), and dyslipidemia (18%). Hyerinsulinemia, a prodrome of type II diabetes, was present in 6% of children, nearly all of whom were obese. CARDIAC hopes the research will help better understand ways of adopting a healthier lifestyle among the Appalachian population.
Challenge for Healthier Schools
The "Challenge for Healthier Schools", initiated in 2003 and endorsed by the West Virginia Department of Education, encourages a collaborative effort among teachers, students and partners to develop custom-made approaches to student wellness. Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield awards grants to schools that develop an innovative program dealing with increased physical activity and/or nutrition education.
Changing the Scene
Since 2002, 57 schools in 34 counties have participated in Changing the Scene, a USDA supported initiative to improve schools’ nutrition environment. Components of the program include: a commitment to nutrition and physical activity; quality school meals; other healthy food options (snacks and food sales); pleasant eating experiences; nutrition education; and marketing to the larger school community. The West Virginia Department of Education Office of Child Nutrition provides small incentive grants to schools, trains school teams and conducts on-site technical assistance as part of this effort.
Choosy Kids Club
At Choosy Kids Club, emphasis is on promoting healthy, active lifestyles. West Virginia University students, serving as personal trainers for the children, monitor such things as blood pressure and changes in height and weight. The children learn a variety of strength development activities and are encouraged to make healthy choices about being active and eating nutritious foods. The children in Choosy Kids Club also participate in vigorous physical activity. They can choose from rope jumping, roller blading, power walks, many games, fun activities, and equipment like rowers and bikes. The WVU students and the children learn from each other. At the conclusion of each fun lesson, everyone sings the Choosy theme song then finds out what his or her "activity homework" will be for reinforcing the lesson at home. Most importantly, everyone has a great time at Choosy Kids Club!
Fruits and Vegetables Galore
The West Virginia Department of Education Office of Child Nutrition makes available to all county school systems Fruits and Vegetables Galore training for school food service staff. USDA produced training materials are provided without cost to all schools. This effort promotes increased fruit and vegetable consumption through creative menu ideas and recipes, quality procurement practices, marketing to students and nutrition education.
Health and Physical Education
Content Standards and Objectives (CSOs) for Health Education (Policy 2520.5) and Physical Education (Policy 2520.6) outline standards designed to enable students to develop health literacy skills and active lifestyle habits. The knowledge and skills mastered in these two content areas provide the basic foundation necessary for individuals to make healthy choices and enjoy healthy outcomes. A three-hour professional development program was provided to each health and physical educator in 2003 to introduce them to the new CSOs. More than 1,500 educators participated. An additional six-hour professional development program was being offered to health and physical educators during the summer of 2004.
Healthy Hearts
Healthy Hearts is an Internet instructional module designed to teach intermediate grade children about cardiovascular health, focusing on the effects of physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use on their health. The module is targeted to 5th and 6th grade students, teachers and families to assist children in acquiring the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco usage that leads to wise decisions and healthy lifestyles. Healthy Hearts is a school based curricular intervention that encourages youngsters to read, write, and problem solve, while learning to make wise health decisions that will impact them throughout their lifetimes. Healthy Hearts is the leading school-based intervention for the CARDIAC project.
Healthy School Meals and Snacks
Standards of School Nutrition, State Board Policy 4321.1, establishes nutrition standards for foods and beverages served and/or sold to students in school during the school day. These requirements for school meals are based on the energy and nutrient needs of the various students’ age/grade levels. County boards of education are monitored every five years to measure the progress toward meeting these standards and the federal regulations. All breakfasts and lunches served under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program must meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The West Virginia Department of Education provides training and technical assistance to food service personnel to meet these standards. County nutrition plans are developed to link nutrition services and the school curriculum. These plans address the school environment by offering activities to promote physical activity and good nutrition. It also involves a team of school staff, students, parents, health professionals and community members to assist in making the school a healthy environment.
Nutrition…the Next Generation Symposium
In 2001, The West Virginia Department of Education Office of Child Nutrition and the Office of Student Services and Health Promotion provided leadership and support to a weeklong symposium focusing on childhood obesity and other emerging child nutrition issues. Nutrition…The Next Generation brought together 300 participants to study factors contributing to increasing obesity rates and declining quality of children’s diets and physical activity and to learn and plan prevention strategies for local schools and communities. A second statewide symposium on childhood nutrition and physical activity was conducted in June 2004. The goal of these symposia is to empower educators, health professionals, community leaders and others to act as change agents in local schools.
Physical Best
Physical Best is a comprehensive health-related fitness education program to be used in conjunction with existing K-12 physical education curriculums. Physical Best moves beyond traditional programs by raising students’ awareness of physical fitness, and its connection to physical activity in a positive and inclusive manner. The WVDE has supported the development of a training cadre consisting of 25 of the state’s physical educators. These trainers are conducting trainings in each region of the state. Resources allowed for 150 teachers to participate in the training program during the 2003-04 school year.
Recipe for Success
In January 2004, the West Virginia Department of Education released Recipe for Success, a resource to help schools create environments that teach and model healthful eating and physical activity. Directed to school decision-makers, the CD offers research-based best practices and practical tools addressing these components: school breakfast; curriculum; physical activity; physical education; and snacks, food sales and parties. The CD is now being distributed statewide to all principals. In addition, trained principal mentors are conducting workshops.
Schools on the Move
West Virginia on the Move is partnering with West Virginia Action for Healthy Kids and the West Virginia Department of Education to develop a healthy schools designation that will award schools this honor. These schools will be required to have met a set of criteria on their dedication to incorporating physical activity into the daily lives of children and adolescents. Criteria includes a quality physical education program, providing physical activity opportunities during the school day in addition to physical education classes, at least one school-wide, one family, and one classroom initiative to increase physical activity. The recognized schools will receive thirty pedometers to be used in the curriculum. Recognized schools will receive a mini-grant to expand the programs already in existence.
State Nutrition Advisory Council
Standards for School Nutrition, State Board of Education Policy 4321.1, mandates a state advisory council to advise the State Board of Education on current research findings and potential implications for schools. Citing growing evidence regarding childhood obesity in West Virginia, the Council recently presented to the State Board recommendations to strengthen requirements for foods and beverages that are sold to students during the school day. As a result of recommendations, the State Board of Education revised policies to prevent elementary schools from selling snacks until after lunch and to encourage all schools to offer only healthy foods and beverages wherever and whenever foods and beverages are sold.
West Virginia Motor Development Center
The West Virginia Motor Development Center is a comprehensive program devoted to improving the quality of life of West Virginians by promoting movement skills and physical activity for individuals of all ages and abilities. The Motor Development Center, located at West Virginia University, currently offers activity programs for babies, toddlers, preschool, and elementary school-age children.
West Virginia School Based Health Center Initiative
The goal of the West Virginia School Based Health Center Initiative is to ensure primary and preventive care for youth by eliminating access barriers that children and adolescents face, especially those who are uninsured, lack a medical home or are at risk for health problems. The initiative is linked to the Department of Education’s Healthy Schools Initiative that includes health services, and specifically the development of school-based health centers, as one of its eight core components. School-based health centers (SBHCs) deliver primary and preventive health care to children where they spend most of their day – in school. They are small primary care clinics that provide the full range of preventive and acute care as well as counseling, health education, mental health services, and sometimes dental services. They focus on all aspects of a child’s well-being, including the medical, emotional, behavioral, classroom, and home environments. Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, master’s level counselors or psychologists and physicians staff the centers. Since 1994, the number of SBHCs in West Virginia has increased from the original 14 sites to 37 SBHCs serving 47 schools in 18 counties. About nine percent (25,500) of the public school population now has a SBHC available and several counties are interested in starting such programs.