USDA STUDY LINKS FOOD PRICES TO CHILDHOOD OBESITY — Food prices have a direct impact on weight gain in children, according to a recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA economists found that higher prices for junk food and sugary drinks and lower prices for healthy foods, such as low-fat milk and dark green vegetables, significantly decrease body weight. They also noticed that prices for healthy foods have a greater effect on heavier children than on children of average weight. The data also showed the relationship between food prices and household income. Children in households with income below 200 percent of the federal poverty line were affected more by soda prices than children in households with higher incomes. Sources: Fooducate.com (7/6/11), The Effect of Food and Beverage Prices on Children’s Weights
DELAWARE EXPELS TRANS FATS FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS — This winter, a new law in Delaware will prohibit public and charter schools across the state from making food and beverages with more than .5 grams of trans fat available to students during regular school hours. This includes food served in school cafeterias as well as snacks and beverages sold in vending machines. Although some food manufacturers no longer use trans fat because it raises bad cholesterol (LDL) and lowers good cholesterol (HDL), many commercial baked foods such as cookies and crackers, and fried foods such as doughnuts and french fries still contain this ingredient. Sources: Vending Times (7/5/11); Mayo Clinic, Trans fat is double trouble for your heart health
STATEWIDE JOB LOSS LEADS TO STATEWIDE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT LOSS — A 2 percent statewide job loss is likely to cause a 16 percent increase in the number of schools in that state failing to meet federal achievement benchmarks, according to a new study. The report compares National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores from 1996-2009 with federal Mass Layoff Statistics. According to the research, few papers other than this one explore a broader perspective that draws statistical correlations, and it is one of the first to show that even those students with families not directly experiencing financial concerns are still impacted. Many previous studies compared individual students directly affected by unemployment with those who were not. The study found that the effects were larger for 8th graders than 4th graders and greater for math than reading scores. Sources: National Bureau of Economic Research (June 2011), Freakonomics.com (7/8/11)
MASSACHUSETTS PANEL CUTS THE FAT FROM SCHOOL FOOD — A set of standards approved by the Massachusetts Public Health Council barred the sale of all fried foods in schools and restricted foods containing other undesirable ingredients. The new standards prevent schools from selling or serving foods with caffeine, trans fats, and artificial sweeteners anywhere in public schools, such as à la carte cafeteria lines, vending machines, school stores, or in fundraisers. The rules restrict the amount of fats, sugars, and sodium, and bar fried foods in school lunches. In addition, schools have to provide unsweetened fruits and vegetables in places food is sold, with the exception of vending machines. The rules also mandate breads to be made from whole grains, any juices sold to be 100 percent fruit juice, flavored milk to not have more sugar than plain low-fat milk, and requires schools to offer water for free at all times. While most rules take effect in time for the 2012-13 school year, the ban on sugary drinks and an additional directive that nutrition information be made available for all non-prepackaged foods starts before the 2013-14 school year. Source: Boston Herald (7/13/11)
NEW REPORT DETAILS OBESITY INCREASE IN 16 STATES — According to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2011, obesity rates increased in 16 states since last year. The report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation concludes that 38 states have obesity rates greater than 25 percent and only one state has an obesity rate of less than 20 percent. Since 1995, obesity rates in seven states doubled and 10 other states have seen an increase in their rates by 90 percent or more. The nine states with the highest obesity rates are in the south. Mississippi has the greatest obesity rate at 34.4 percent of its residents, while Colorado has the lowest rate at 19.8 percent. This is a steep increase from 20 years ago, when no state had an obesity rate greater than 15 percent, which means that even the least obese state today is heavier than the heaviest state a generation ago. The report cites racial and ethnic minority adults and individuals with a lower socioeconomic status as continuing to have the highest obesity rates overall. F as in Fat also includes recommendations for policymakers and the food and beverage industry to help reverse the epidemic. Sources: Trust for America’s Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation press release (7/7/11), F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2011
OHIO BOARD OF EDUCATION RECOMMENDS DISTRICTS BAN TOBACCO ON CAMPUS — The State Board of Education of Ohio unanimously recommended that school districts ban the use of all tobacco products anywhere on school property. State law bars the use of tobacco products inside school buildings, but the board vote allows school districts to expand the anti-tobacco policy to school grounds and campuses. School districts may reject the recommendation because Ohio law prohibits the state board from “unilaterally” banning smoking on school grounds. Source: Columbus Dispatch (7/25/11)
STUDY DECLARES TEEN SUBSTANCE USE AN EPIDEMIC — A new study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse suggests adolescent substance abuse is America’s leading public health problem. Researchers examined how American culture influences teens use of addictive substances and how messages from adults, the tobacco and alcohol industries, and media normalized substance use. According to this new report, 75 percent of all high school students used an addictive substance at some time, and one in five high school students meet the medical criteria for being classified as having an addiction. The report also reveals that 25 percent of people who used an addictive substance before age 18 became addicts compared to one in 25 individuals who engaged in substance use at age 21 or older. Source: Los Angeles Times (6/29/11), National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University
EXCESSIVE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE POLICIES LINKED TO LOWER GRADUATION RATES — A study of discipline meted out to Texas secondary school students from 2000 to 2002 found more than half of the state’s students were suspended or expelled at least once during that time. The report by the Council of State Governments determined that once a student is suspended or expelled, that child is more likely to repeat a grade, drop out of school, or get arrested. Data collected on students who were 7th graders during the study period showed almost one million of them received in-school suspension, off-campus suspension, or were expelled by the time they were scheduled to graduate from high school. But about 97 percent of these punishments were discretionary, which means according to Texas law, their behavior did not necessarily warrant the level of corrective action used. Further, researchers found that punishments were weighed differently among students of different races (note: two-thirds of Texas’ students are non-white), abilities, and among school districts. Researchers chose Texas for its total enrollment size, which ranks second nationally, and believe its policies resonate with other states. It is important to note that while there are correlative links between discipline and outcomes, the study showed no causal links.
In an unrelated move, the U.S. Justice and Education departments launched the Supportive School Discipline Initiative. The project will study disciplinary policies and practices that many believe push children out of school and into the justice system, commonly referred to as the “school-to-prison pipeline.” Follow this link for more information about the Supportive School Discipline Initiative. Sources: New York Times (7/19/11), EdWeek.org (7/19/11), Council of State Governments Justice Center
LEADERSHIP FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES will host the 2011 Childhood Obesity Prevention Summit, September 8-9, in Washington, DC. The summit will focus on the significant social and economic benefits of preventing childhood obesity and the importance of making it a policy priority, particularly in challenging economic times. Workshops and plenary sessions will demonstrate how policymakers can champion “win-win” policies that support other policy areas, including economic development, job market expansion, and academic achievement while helping to improve children’s health. The summit will provide policymakers with tools and information, as well as opportunities to collaborate within and across sectors – public and private – to help reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. Go here for more information and to register.
NEW CDC FACT SHEET OUTLINES FINANCIAL IMPACT OF STRONGER NUTRITION STANDARDS — A new fact sheet from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health compiles existing research to discuss the financial impact of improving school food environments. “Implementing Strong Nutritional Standards for Schools: Financial Implications” demonstrates that creating stronger nutrition standards does not usually lead to a decrease in revenue from competitive food sales.
CDC REPORT PROVIDES SNAPSHOT OF STATE POLICIES RELATED TO HEALTHY EATING — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2011 Children’s Food Environment State Indicator Report provides a national and state-specific picture of behaviors, environments, and policies that impact childhood obesity through healthy eating. Data for behavioral indicators were compiled from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveys and the National Survey of Children’s Health. The Policy and Environmental Indicators also use data from national surveillance systems to look at the current food environment in three different settings: child care facilities, schools, and the community. The report provides a condensed table with state-specific information.
NATIONAL PREVENTION STRATEGY RELEASED — The National Prevention Council released the first National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy, which it hopes will help direct attention toward promoting wellness and prevention rather than treatment of disease and illness. The Strategy, which along with the Council is a product of the federal Affordable Care Act, encourages partnerships and engagement at all levels and defines priorities for health improvement.
NEW REPORT PRESENTS PICTURE OF WELL-BEING OF NATION’S CHILDREN — America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2011 from the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics presents data in a format that makes it easy to use and to stimulate conversations among policymakers about children’s health issues. The primary mission of the Forum is to bring together 22 Federal government agencies and partners to provide the nation with a summary of national indicators of children’s well-being and to monitor changes in these indicators across seven domains.
GREEN SCHOOL MAKEOVER CONTEST — Global Green will award one K-12 school in the country a $65,000 “green” makeover and another $65,000 in technical assistance to make it happen. The contest’s goal is to get schools thinking about ways to improve their student environments while simultaneously providing new learning opportunities. Green, in this case, can mean anything from building a school garden to improving indoor air quality. Every school is eligible. Follow this link for more information.