Essay On Health Promotion In Schools

Logically, “Schools are an ideal site to intervene with children. Approximately 98% of children are enrolled in school and this provides access to children and enables repeated exposure to health promotion interventions. School policies can be modified and teachers and other personnel can be trained to deliver health promotion interventions. Schools offer continuity, so successful interventions may be sustained after the initial intervention and may be disseminated throughout school systems.” (7) In 2005, South Carolina ranked 10th in the nation with respect to diabetes. At that time, 25% of school children ranges 5 to 10 had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or other early warning signs of type 2 diabetes. The legislature of South Carolina recognized that healthy eating habits and increased exercise are the cornerstones of managing the increase in type 2 diabetes, and they took action to improve the overall health of students and their families by ratifying the Student Health and Fitness Act of 2005 (SHFA) and pledging $66 million to begin implementing the act during the following three years. (8) The SHFA requires minimum policy requirements in every grade school in the state in an effort to improve overall health and reduce obesity and it’s consequences including type 2 diabetes. The South Carolina K-12 school policies must include: 1) 150 minutes of combined physical education and physical activity each week; 2) school meals that are based on federal and state laws and the most recent Dietary …show more content…
The student-teacher ratio for physical education will be reduced over the same period. In addition, parents are to receive fitness reports for their students in grades 5 and 8.