BY HOLLI W. HAYNIE

Last year, major strides were made in the pursuit of healthier children with the state mandate replacing unhealthy snacks in vending machines with healthier options, as well as the federal mandate requiring free and reduced lunches to meet certain nutritional guidelines.

Since then, the Memphis City Schools (MCS) system, in conjunction with community collaborators such as the Healthy Memphis Common Table, has put together a more focused health and activity curriculum.

Dr. Carol Irwin, lifetime wellness staff coordinator, explained the MCS health curriculum and the purpose behind MCS's Healthy Choices Week. For several years, the MCS system has conducted youth risk behavior surveys, which focus on the riskiest behaviors affecting the health of elementary and high school children, including violence, sex, drug and alcohol use and poor diet and exercise habits. From that survey, along with the intent of raising awareness about AIDS, Healthy Choices Week was created. Each day during the last week of November, pre-kindergarten through senior high school students participate in a series of activities from cleaning up their neighborhood to learning how to build healthy relationships to proper diet and exercise. On Healthy Weight Day, parents are invited to eat lunch with their children and are provided with nutritious choices such as vegetarian chili, fresh vegetables and grilled chicken sandwiches.

"The bottom line is we're raising kids who will become more productive, confident adults," explained Irwin.

Studies are underway in city elementary schools with preliminary data indicating 95 percent or more of elementary students have a BMI of 30 percent, which according to the American Obesity Association is considered obese.

"What you're seeing anecdotally when you go to the schools is that's true," said Irwin of the obesity data. "We have heavy and unhealthy (kids)."

The primary goal of the K-6 health curriculum, as outlined on the MCS Web site, is to introduce and review basic information necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle. The MCS philosophy holds that health education should be a process providing learning experiences that supply information, change attitudes and influence behavior. While national standards of education don't consider health part of the core curriculum, mandates from the state of Tennessee compel the MCS system to go beyond federal suggestions and incorporate increased focus on health education. Specific topics of focus include individual responsibility for health, respect for the medical community, knowledge of health fads and adopting healthy behaviors. This content can be taught as a separate area or can be integrated into other core subjects.

Physical education and recess has been cut across the country, but Tennessee handed down mandates to increase physical activity. Nationally, only 30 minutes of physical education is required per child, per week. Tennessee mandated 90 minutes and MCS upped it to 100.

"The state of Tennessee did a great job handing down mandates," said Irwin. "We're stricter on those kinds of guidelines. Having a state that is progressive helps us become healthier. Policy is key. More and more teachers are starting to understand physical activity is helpful to the learning process."




January 2007