Colorado has a reputation as an active, fit state. We boast the lowest adult obesity rates in the country. Yet the data tell a different story for our children.
More than one in 10 Colorado high school students is overweight. Poor diet is one of the leading causes of obesity; inadequate physical activity is the other.
Obese children are at higher risk for medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and depression. Lack of energy and poor self-image make it a lot harder to concentrate in school.
When students risk their health, it can negatively impact their school attendance, grades, and test scores.
Schools are ideal settings for developing healthy habits that last well into adulthood – especially since kids spend almost half of their waking hours in school.
Healthy schools provide nutritious meals, snacks and beverages, and require that students are physically active every day. They teach students what it means to be healthy, offer access to health care services and have effective workplace wellness programs.
Some may argue that’s not the job of today’s schools. We respectfully disagree.
Consider school health services, for example. Whether led by a nurse or approached as an in-school health clinic, these services help students manage chronic illness, administer medication and provide health counseling.
The payoff can be huge. Better management of chronic illness increases attendance. And improved attendance increases the chances of academic success.
But as a state, we are falling short. The recommended school nurse-to-student ratio is one nurse per 750 students. Colorado’s ratio is one nurse to 2,101 students, making our state 39th in the country.
It’s about the adults, too. More than 93,000 people work for Colorado school districts. This sizable work force has a significant influence on students’ health and learning.
Healthy employees are more productive employees. They have lower absentee rates and lower health care costs. They also serve as healthy role models for students.
To their credit, Colorado’s educators are among the most innovative in the country. Despite limited help and funding, some districts are taking noteworthy steps to create healthier schools.
This week, the Colorado Department of Education and Colorado Legacy Foundation recognized 11 Colorado school districts and two schools for getting results.
Boulder Valley Schools has reinvented school lunches by eliminating all highly processed foods. Schools serve fresh fruits and vegetables daily – many of which are locally grown. Food is cooked from scratch.
East Grand School District in Granby found that students better manage their emotions and make better decisions when they have physical activity every day. Each elementary and middle school student participates in physical education every day. Further, many of the district’s teachers have been trained to incorporate more physical activity into their own classrooms – not just the school gym.
And in Douglas County south of Denver, the school district’s goal is to be the healthiest district in the country by 2015 – and the first in Colorado and the U.S. to take workplace wellness to new heights.
Already, more than 1,000 district employees have volunteered to exercise more, track the number of steps they walk daily, keep a food journal and track their personal wellness milestones.
Everyone has a role in creating healthy schools – school board members, administrators, educators, parents, students and the community. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to start.
The Colorado Legacy Foundation just released a new online tool that offers best practices, success stories, data and action steps for parents, educators and the community. Find out how your school district measures up in health education, nutrition, physical activity, school health services and workplace wellness.
The new online 2009 Health and Wellness Best Practices Guide is packed with practical resources, including strategies for handling pushback from those who argue that health and wellness are not the responsibilities of schools.
Setting up the right conditions for our children early on is likely to be more effective and less costly than addressing problems at a later age.
Colorado schoolchildren, here’s to your health.
Commissioner Dwight Jones is the chief school officer of the Colorado Department of Education. Helayne Jones is the executive director of the Colorado Legacy Foundation. For the complete 2009 Health and Wellness Best Practices Guide, visit . Shorter print versions in English and Spanish are available to download. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
