The Illinois Association of School Boards
http://www.iasb.com/healthy/index.cfm

IASB's publications department produced an in-depth examination of childhood obesity, nutrition and physical activity as these issues relate to public school operations and school board policy-making.

"Weighing Healthier Options" is a series of articles and reports published in the Illinois School Board Journal, the Illinois School Board Newsbulletin, and supplemented with online resources at the IASB Web site.

A lot has happened since this report first appeared in March 2004. Significant developments - both voluntary and mandatory - have occurred as government, schools and the private sector have responded to this highly-charged debate.

The heart of this research remains timely and intact. However, links to online references have been updated as of November 2006. IASB staff will continue to monitor these sites to keep the information as current as possible.

The original series is divided into several parts:

• Snack foods, soft drinks
• Food services and fund-raising food sales
• Nutrition curriculum
• Physical education

In addition to the original series, listed here are three new sources that would be helpful in the child nutrition and obesity discussion:

• January 2006 Report from the School Wellness Policy Task Force about barriers to implementing school wellness policies: http://www.isfsa.net/Wellness Policy Report Draft 2.pdf
• Illinois Food Service Rules, adopted in October 2006: http://isbe.net/nutrition/htmls/rules.htm, adopted Oct. 17, 2006
• Model local wellness policy from ISBE: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/nutrition/htmls/wellness_policy.htm

Please contact the IASB Policy Services staff for information on our sample wellness policy at 217/528-9688, ext. 1119.

Comments and questions concerning this special report are welcome. Contact the IASB Publications staff at 217/528-9688, ext. 1121.

• Weighing Healthier Options: Illinois School Board Journal, March/April 2004
  Everyone is asking who and what is responsible for making children fatter. So what can school leaders do to help reverse this trend?

• School nutrition rules and regulations: Illinois School Board Journal, March/April 2004
  Food sold in schools, including "competitive" foods and foods of "minimal nutrition value," must meet state and federal regulations.

• Counter-offensive: Refute, promote and donate: Illinois School Board Journal, March/April 2004
  $61 billion soft drink industry has its own strategy for dealing with childhood obesity.

• By the numbers, soft drinks pack a hard punch 2004
  With 450 brands vying for market share, the stakes are high. And support from educators and lawmakers is critical.

• Sources: Illinois School Board Journal, March/April 2004
  Reports, articles, Web sites and other information.

• Policies and administrative procedures (PDF File)
  Legal references on competitive food sales, and advertising and distribution of materials in schools provided by non-school related entities.

• Nutrition bill passes U.S. House: Illinois School Board Newsbulletin, May 2004
  Bill reauthorizes the Child Nutrition Act and adds provision for fighting childhood obesity.

• Concessions, rewards can be healthy, too: Illinois School Board Journal, May/June 2004
  Policy discussions on healthier school environments may need to go beyond the cafeteria to concession stands, fund-raisers and classroom rewards.

• Cafeterias must balance nutrition, cost and more: Illinois School Board Journal, May/June 2004
  Does the National School Lunch Program help or hinder the fight against childhood obesity?

• Do nutrition policies, standards measure up?: Illinois School Board Journal, July/August 2004
  By establishing and enforcing policies that demonstrate commitment to children's health, boards can make a difference in the battle against childhood obesity.

• If Johnny can't read, maybe he's hungry: Illinois School Board Journal, July/August 2004
  Numerous national and international studies have established a direct link between poor nutrition and a child's inability to perform in the classroom.

• Financing fitness: Keeping kids, budgets healthy: Illinois School Board Journal, September/October 2004
  Even with daily mandated physical education, students in Illinois may not get enough exercise. With more dollars earmarked for reading and math instruction, how can a school district balance finances and still provide facilities, teachers and curriculum to keep students fit?

• It's a daily battle to win obesity war: Illinois School Board Journal, September/October 2004
  No one contributing factor outweighs any other when it comes to battling weight problems for a lifetime.

• Additional Resources: Updated November 2006
  Print resources compiled by the IASB Resource Center

Printed: 09/09/10