By Catherine Grano PhD, RN, CSN-NJ
On Sept. 28, I had the honor of attending the White House Conference on Nutrition, Hunger, and Health, the first of its kind in over 50 years. The Biden-Harris Administration announced a national strategy aimed at driving “transformative change in the U.S. to end hunger, improve nutrition and physical activity, and close the disparities surrounding them.” The national strategy includes five pillars:
- Integrate nutrition and health.
- Improve food access and affordability.
- Empower all consumers to make and have access to healthy choices.
- Support physical activity for all.
- Enance nutrition and food security research.
More information can be found here.
The conference brought together government leaders, experts, activists and individuals from all walks of life to participate in engaging conversations toward ending hunger, increasing physical activity, and reducing diet related disease. Included were the voices of community leaders, individuals affected by social inequalities such as poverty, hunger, and unsafe communities—and youth actively leading change. President Joe Biden, Ambassador Susan E. Rice, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Chef José Andrés declared their commitment to the efforts while panels of community experts shared experiences and successes within their communities.
As we know, social determinants of health affect individual and community health, functioning and quality of life. Lack of access to nutritious and affordable food, and to safe outdoor spaces, along with a lack of physical activity opportunities contributes to hunger, diet-related diseases, and health disparities. We must address inequalities and promote equitable access to services that support healthy living. Success of the national strategy requires that all Americans come together, those from all political parties, and all sectors of society, both public and private.
The conference was inspiring and the mood infectious. If we could bottle the energy from the conference and spread it throughout the country, hunger would be eliminated rather quickly. We have more than adequate quantities of food but need reliable and sustainable methods to implement distribution to those experiencing hunger and food insecurity.
As school professionals, we are committed to student health and academic achievement. We know that food insecurity can negatively impact learning and lead to poor health outcomes. Red Bank’s backpack food program, The BackPack Crew (backpackcrew.org), promotes the slogan is “Because you can’t be awesome when you’re hungry.” How true!
The Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to expanding access to healthy, free school meals for children will support student health and learning and support an end to childhood hunger in the U.S. Providing universal healthy school meals to all students is one important goal of the National Education Association (NEA).
Students need the opportunity to be active throughout the day, every day of the year. Throughout the conference, ideas to increase physical activity such as access and safe space to play were abundant, including ideas regarding collaboration with community centers, development of safe walking paths and playgrounds, and summer activity programs. But again, we need sustainable planning, funding and human effort for implementation.
NEA supports student opportunities to move and engage in recess activities throughout the school day. As educators, we attempt to balance learning and achievement with psychosocial development and the mental health needs of our youth. Physical activity is an important part of this equation, positively impacting cognitive development, behavior and socializing, while also serving as an outlet for stress relief. Health benefits of exercise are well known—supporting a healthy body mass index (BMI) and decreasing the risk of chronic illness and depression. Recess activities allow students to return to class recharged and refocused.
Supporting physical activity for kids
I participated as part of Panel 4B: The Power of Play: Supporting Physical Activity for Kids, along with Kaboom CEO Lysa Ratliff, Sergeant Jermaine Harris, co-founder of Chicago Westside Police and Youth Sports Conference, and Ann Marie Krautheim, CEO of GENYOUth.
The focus of our panel was on ways to expand physical activity opportunities for youth in schools and communities. Our themes included barriers, strategies to overcome barriers and support equitable access, and identification of resources needed to support sustainability. As a nurse for 24 years and school nurse for 14, I was very excited to share ideas and experiences through a school focused lens.
You can view the panel at here. Here are some key takeaways:
Barriers
- Lack of safe space to play, unsafe neighborhoods, fear for safety.
- Lack of time: The school day is full addressing academic demands; instructional time may include long sedentary periods or dependency on computer-based programs.
- Lack of knowledge regarding the benefits of exercise and how to incorporate it into daily life.
- Lack of self-esteem and confidence; lack of support or role model.
- Lack of motivation, with screen time and social media being a real distraction for students.
- Lack of transportation to participate in before or after school activities.
- Lack of access to nutritious food, necessary to provide energy and support physical activity.
Solutions
- Bring physical activity to the children, to their neighborhoods, schools and community centers.
- Reclaim unsafe spaces: Identify community spaces that can be used to support children and activity and work with community leaders to transform this space.
- Support relationship building between children and adults; develop mentor programs; role model healthy behaviors and respect while creating safe spaces for students.
- There are approximately 50 million children enrolled in U.S. public schools’ grades PreK to 12. Shift school culture to make physical activity an integral part of the school day. (See sidebar.)
- Include children in creating solutions; peer leaders may drive participation. As Ms. Krautheim said, we must engage the voice of youth in developing successful strategies.
- Accommodations for those that may feel uncomfortable or have low self-esteem: Offer alternate activities and support. Just like anything else, being physically active can take practice! Focus on lessons, programs, and support groups regarding self-image and self-esteem.
- Universal school meals and weekend food programs can provide nutrient dense food that supports physical activity and health
It takes a village
An integral part of the discussion is community buy-in and sustainability. It is important that we assess the needs of the community and engage it in the planning process, including students, staff, families and local businesses. Engaging numerous individuals in the process can make the program more meaningful and manageable. We are more likely to see success if we all work together toward common goals. As Sgt. Harris said, “People Power is integral!”
Please, take a moment to reach out to your government officials and support the five pillars; engage in community discussions, and recruit those from both the private and public sector to take part. Share ideas and successes and turnkey these strategies to others. You may only be one person, but your actions can ripple into others and together we can do so much! It starts with YOU!
Make physical activity a priority
Schedule activities throughout the school day keeping them simple, accessible, fun, and free.
Some ideas include:
- Short activity bursts, such as a morning march, brain breaks, or running/walking/rolling a lap at recess. They add up and improve concentration!
- Staff members move with the students and make it fun!
- Use physical activity as a reward for class accomplishments (extra recess!)
- Include wellness tips and physical activity challenges in school announcements.
- Weekly before-school walking/dance/fit clubs.
- Share a list/link of easy physical activity ideas with families.
Catherine Grano is a clinical instructor for the Entry to Baccalaureate Nursing Practice Program at Rutgers School of Nursing. Until Dec. 1, Grano was a certified school nurse at New Monmouth Elementary School in Middletown Township. She is the education co-chair of the New Jersey State School Nurses Association and the 2021 New Jersey School Nurse of the Year. She can be reached at cathyanne@hotmail.com.