Healthy Schools

Schools must be part of the solution to improving the health of children. They serve meals and snacks to millions of children each day, and for many of them, schools represent their best opportunity for healthy, nutritious meals. They also are ideal places to educate students about nutrition and promote physical activity, offering a safe environment with playgrounds, athletic fields, and gymnasiums.¹ For students who do not have insurance and/or a medical home, school is a comfortable and familiar setting to seek health information and services.

Schools and Health
We believe school-based health, physical activity, nutrition education and healthy meals are the most important components for improving the overall health of children because:

• The average child spends more than seven hours a day, 180 days a year – over 13 years in school 
• 14 percent of children are have no insurance
• 46 percent of children have no medical home
• Colorado is one of the only states that does not require mandatory physical education in public schools
• Less than one in five adolescents are eating five or more fruits and vegetables each day
• Nutrition education is not well represented in the public school curriculum
• Poor nutrition and low levels of physical activity are associated with poor academic achievement

Our Focus
To expand the number of children who attend a "Healthy School," so they are better able to learn and establish healthy habits that will sustain them into adulthood. We'll do this by working with schools to:

• Provide children nutritious meals, snack and beverage options
• Require that children are physically active every day
• Teach students what it means to be healthy
• Enroll children in Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus
• Provide children with access to health care services
• Build leadership, parental support and political will for health and wellness in schools

Sources
¹ Action for Healthy Kids. "A Mission Becomes a Mandate: Campaign for School Wellness"; 2006