Find out how school policies affect nutrition and physical activity and how you, as students, can create positive changes in your school health environment.

Realizing Your Student Voice
Why should I be concerned with Policy?

• Policies act as guidelines for student behavior and school operation
• Some current policies in your school may be outdated, ineffective, or in need of significant changes or revisions
• Perhaps there are certain areas that have no policies at all – this could negatively affect students
• Good policies may exist in your school, but they may not be enforced or people may not even be aware of them

Do policies have an effect on nutrition and physical activity in my school?

• Yes! Policies affect the kinds of food sold in your cafeterias, school stores, vending machines, and at school events.
• Policies also control the amount of time you are given for lunch and how much time you must spend in PE class.

Isn’t influencing policy change a big challenge?
Yes…but with preparation you can overcome the obstacles you may face to bring about positive change within your school.

• If you are seeking to improve your school’s health environment you are likely to find student and adult allies including parents, teachers and the school board.
• When responsible activism leads to policy changes that result in healthier student behavior; students’ voices will be more welcome in other aspects of school policy.

Some of the obstacles students may face include…
Resistance from administration or policy makers, who may feel that:

1. Collaboration with students is too time consuming
2. Students are too inexperienced to meaningfully contribute

1. Does your plan cost the school more money?
2. Does it interfere with the school’s current source of revenue? (i.e. suggesting a larger physical education staff or an alteration in the vending machine selection)

How can I successfully make policy change in my school?
In order to make your voice heard, you must be taken seriously. To do this, you must be prepared. Consider these tips:

• Be ready to state your case convincingly and to back up any facts and conclusions with solid evidence.
• Make sure to have student and adult allies.
• You should have an adult mentor (such as a teacher, faculty student group leader, business manager, school nurse, etc.)
• Develop a convincing, thoroughly examined and feasible plan of action to carry out your goals.
• Prove to the adult decision makers that you are addressing a legitimate problem affecting the majority of the student body; that is, you must prove that the issue you are discussing is worth the decision makers’ time.
• Prove that the student body wants a solution to this problem and supports you in your search for one.
• Show that your proposed solution is a logical, feasible way to solve this problem at minimal cost in time and money.

Understanding Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in Schools
What Does Healthy Eating Mean?

• Eating a variety of foods from each of the food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nut
• Following the USDA food pyramid guidelines

What are the Rewards of Healthy Eating?

• More energy
• Better physical and mental well-being
• Greater readiness to learn
• It improves brain function, growth, and development
• Lowers the risk of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, Type II diabetes and stroke

What Does Physical Activity Mean?
Physical activity is any type of activity that gets you moving and gets your heart beating faster. There are many types of physical activity – some examples are:

• Walking
• Dancing
• Participating in sports or martial arts

What Is a Healthy School Nutrition and Physical Activity Environment?
A healthy school environment promotes healthy eating, sound nutrition, physical education and physical activity by giving students consistent, reliable health information and ample opportunity to use it.

For example, in a healthy school environment:

• The classroom, the cafeteria, and other school areas provide clear and consistent messages that explain and reinforce healthy eating and physical activity habits.
• Students learn to make healthy lifestyle choices not only in the classroom and the school cafeteria, but also at class parties, sporting events, and other extracurricular events.
• Participating in sports or martial arts

Why is it important for Schools to have a Healthy School Nutrition and Physical Activity Environment?
To promote good academic performance among students:

• Proper nutrition helps students learn by improving concentration. Students even get to school on-time more often!
• Being physically active has a positive impact on learning.
• Physical activity is consistently related to higher levels of self esteem, lower levels of anxiety and stress, reduced behavioral problems, and more attentiveness—each of which has been associated with better academic performance.

To protect the health of the students:

• Unhealthy eating habits that contribute to health problems tend to be established early in life; students who have unhealthy eating habits tend to maintain these habits as they grow older.
• Unhealthy diet and inactivity can lead to health problems in students. These unhealthy practices are related to heart disease, some types of cancer, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and osteoporosis.
• A sensible, healthy diet and regular physical activity boosts self-confidence and overall well-being in students.
• Working to improve the nutrition and physical activity environments in schools is vital. As a student advocating in your school for a healthier environment, you will be making a very important impact on the lives of the entire student body!

Before you can make a change in the school environment, you must first understand the current school environment. The next section, Assess Your Environment, will help you do so.