Providing a Safe Environment for Children at School

This week, the American Association of Public Health is sponsoring National Public Health Week. You can find much of the information being blogged this week at: http://www.nphw.org/tools-and-tips/themes/empowering-a-healthy-community.

Did you know?
• Obesity prevalence among children and teens has nearly tripled since 1980. Today, about 17 percent, or 12.5 million, of children and teens ages 2 to 19 are obese.
• In 2011, only 29 percent of high school students surveyed nationwide took part in the recommended 60 minutes per day of physical activity and only 31 percent attended a daily PE class.
• In 2009, about one in 10 children had asthma. Overall, health care costs associated with asthma among adults and children topped $50 billion in 2007.
• During the 2006–2007 school year, more than 31 percent of students ages 12 through 18 said they were bullied at school. Sixty-two percent of school employees surveyed in 2010 said they witnessed bullying two or more times in the last month.
• Every day, nearly 4,000 young people try their first cigarette and about 1,000 will become daily smokers.
• In 2011, 16.7 million children lived in food-insecure households, meaning they didn’t have enough nutritious food to lead a healthy life.

What Can I Do?
• Advocate for smoke- and tobacco-free policies at schools as well as on college campuses.
• Learn about a school’s asthma policies: Does the school keep asthma action plans on file? Are students allowed to carry inhalers? Does the school nurse know which students have asthma? Support policies that reduce asthma risks, such as prohibiting school bus idling and using non-toxic cleaning supplies.
• Organize for school-wide policies and action against bullying and create a safe space for kids experiencing bullying to get help.
• Encourage your child’s school to stop stocking soda and junk food in school vending machines and to put restrictions on the types of foods sold in schools that are outside official school meal programs.
• Speak up about the importance of physical education in school.
• Volunteer for school health education efforts that teach kids to say no to tobacco, drugs and alcohol.
• Support evidence-based sexual health education that’s aimed at preventing disease and unplanned pregnancy and is inclusive of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.

For local health metrics in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, please go to: www.healthyntexas.org.