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Related Programs:

School Market Program
This program is a hands-on learning curriculum that teaches students to improve their diets, develop employment and entrepreneurial skills, and educate themselves about issues that affect their health and the health of their communities.

School Food and Beverage Reform
A reform effort that works to improve the policy on vending machine snacks.

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Comprehensive School Nutrition Policy Initiative

Philadelphia's approach: Teaching the importance of good nutrition and improving school food

RECENT NEWS

Reducing the Incidence of Obesity in Schools

The Comprehensive School Nutrition Policy Initiative, evaluated by Dr. Gary Foster of Temple University, was found to reduce the incidence of childhood overweight by 50 percent.

Learn more: Obesity in America: One Community Fights Back (Video)

Pediatrics : A Policy-based School Intervention
to Prevent Overweight and Obesity (PDF)

The Issue

Now more than ever, students need schools to teach life-long skills for healthy eating. The United States is in the grip of an obesity epidemic, and in Philadelphia, as elsewhere throughout the country, almost one in every three children is overweight or obese

 

The Food Trust Solution

In 2003, The Food Trust developed a Comprehensive School Nutrition Policy for the School District of Philadelphia (PDF) to help youth attain their full educational potential and good health by providing them with the skills, social support and environmental reinforcement needed to adopt long-term healthy eating habits. The policy is based upon guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control.

The Comprehensive School Nutrition Policy Initiative was evaluated by Dr. Gary Foster of Temple University. The initiative was found to reduce the incidence of childhood overweight by 50%. The results were published in the journal Pediatrics.

The multi-disciplinary policy includes these components:

  • Nutrition Education in Schools: Students participate in interactive, relevant nutrition education that is integrated into regular subjects in the curriculum.

  • Food Services: All food sold at school meets healthy food requirements and is linked to classroom nutrition education.

  • Staff Training: Teachers and other staff are equipped to incorporate nutrition education in their curriculum.

  • Family and Community Involvement: Families and local community groups participate in nutrition education activities.

  • Program Evaluation: The program is evaluated on an ongoing basis and adapted as necessary to improve its effectiveness.

Learn more: Philadelphia's School Food and Beverage Reform

The Food Trust's Healthy School Toolkit (PDF)