2014 Georgia middle school nutrition policy data summary [Mar. 2015]

The Georgia Department of Public Health
2014 Georgia Middle School Nutrition Policy Data Summary
Background
More than 870,000 children in Georgia were enrolled in public middle and high schools in Georgia during Spring 2014.1 Students eat one or more meals and/or snacks at school since they typically spend 6-7 hours each day during the school year at school. The school food environment is associated with students' dietary behaviors and obesity.2,3 Schools can help improve dietary behavior of children by implementing policies and practices conducive to healthful eating behaviors.4
Data Description
The School Health Profiles (SHP) is a biennial survey of middle and high school principals and lead health educators (LHEs) in middle and high schools. SHP monitors the status of school health education, physical education, and school health policies related to HIV/AIDS, tobacco use prevention, nutrition, asthma management activities, and family and community involvement in school health.
For the 2014 SHP survey in Georgia, questionnaires were sent to 392 public schools, charter schools, and alternative schools containing any of grades 6 through 12 during spring 2014. Survey responses were received from principals in 77 percent of schools and from LHEs in 72 percent of schools. Because the response rate was greater than 70 percent, the results were weighted and are considered representative of all regular public schools, charter schools, and alternative schools containing at least one of the grades 6 through 12 in Georgia. This summary focuses on Georgia middle schools.
Overview of Nutrition Policies and Practices
SHP survey data showed that among Georgia's middle schools in 2014:
Only 8 percent allow students to purchase fruits and vegetables from vending machines or at a school store or canteen.
31 percent offer fruits or non-fried vegetables when foods or beverages are offered at school celebrations. 52 percent do not sell less healthy foods and beverages, such as soda, sports drinks, baked goods, salty snacks, and
candy. 60 percent have used the School Health Index (available at: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/shi/) or other self-
assessment tool to assess school nutrition policies, activities and programs. 64 percent have a vending machine where students can purchase snack foods or beverages. Lead health educators in 76 percent of schools would like to receive professional development on nutrition and
dietary behavior. Lead health educators in 26 percent of schools received professional development on nutrition and dietary behavior during the past two years.
91 percent currently have a Coordinator for school health and safety programs. 91 percent permit students to have a drinking water bottle with them during the school day.

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March 2015

2014 Georgia Middle School Nutrition Policy Data Summary

School Food and Beverage Purchasing Policies
60 percent of Georgia's middle schools provided bottled water for purchase (Chart 1). Less than half made low or no sodium crackers, non-fat or 1% milk, 100% fruit or vegetable juice, fresh fruits, and
non-fried vegetables available for purchase (Chart 1). Less than 50 percent of middle schools made less healthy food and beverage choices available to purchase (Chart 2).
Chart 1. Percent of Georgia middle schools that allow students to purchase more healthy snacks , 2014
100

Percent (%)

80

60 60

40

38

40

29

20

13

9

0

Low/No sodium Non-fat/1% milk

Bottled water 100% fruit/vegetable

Fruit

Non-fried vegetables

crackers

juice

Type of Snack

Chart 2. Percent of Georgia middle schools that allow students to purchase less healthy snacks, 2014 100

80

Percent (%)

60

40

27

31

32

28

29

30

20

15

14

0
Chocolate candy Other candy
*Not low in fat

Salty snacks* Cookies/Pastries* Ice cream*
Type of Snack

Soda

Sports drinks Caffeinated items

School Advertisement Policies

Only 46 percent of Georgia's middle schools prohibit all forms of advertising and promotion for candy, fast food

restaurants and soft drinks (Chart 3).

More than 50 percent of middle schools prohibit advertisements for candy, fast food restaurants or soft drinks in the

school building, on school grounds, in school vehicles, in school publications, or in educational material (Chart 3).

Chart 3. Percent of Georgia middle schools that prohibit advertisements for candy, fast food
restaurants or soft drinks by location, 2014 100

Percent (%)

80

63

60

56

69

58

61

46

40

20

0

School buildings School grounds School vehicles

School

publications Location

Educational

All

materials advertisements

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2014 Georgia Middle School Nutrition Policy Data Summary

Supportive School Nutrition Environment Strategies
87 percent of LHEs tried to increase student knowledge of nutrition and dietary behaviors. Only 24 percent of Georgia's middle schools have implemented at least three strategies to promote a
supportive school nutrition environment. Less than 50 percent of Georgia's middle schools have implemented most of the supportive school nutrition environment
strategies (Table 1). The only two strategies implemented in a majority of middle schools are placing fruits and vegetables near the cafeteria
cashier (73 percent) and using attractive displays for fruits and vegetables (70 percent).

Table 1. Percent of Georgia middle schools that have implemented supportive school nutrition environment

strategies during the current school year, 2014*

Strategy

Percent (%)

Priced nutritious foods and beverages at a lower cost while increasing the price of less nutritious foods and beverages

8

Prohibited school staff from giving students food or food coupons as a reward for good behavior or good academic performance

16

Offered a self-serve salad bar to students

16

Prohibited less nutritious foods and beverages from being sold for fundraising purposes

24

Planted a school food or vegetable garden

28

Conducted taste tests to determine food preferences for nutritious items

30

Served locally or regionally grown foods in the cafeteria or classrooms

39

Labeled healthful foods with appealing names

41

Collected suggestions from students, families and school staff on nutritious food preferences and strategies to promote healthy eating

42

Provided information to students or families on the nutrition and caloric content of foods available

50

Used attractive displays for fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria

70

Placed fruits and vegetables near the cafeteria cashier, where they are easy to access

73

*For more information on strategies to create a supportive nutrition environment, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
Policy Data Summary

Family and Community Involvement
Families and communities play important roles in improving nutritional behavior of students.
In 31 percent of middle schools, students' families helped develop or implement policies and programs related to school health during the past two years.
52 percent of middle schools have a school health council, committee or team that offers guidance on the development of policies or coordinates activities on health topics.
Among schools with school health councils, committees or teams: 35 percent had community members represented. 46 percent had parents or families of students represented.
44 percent of Georgia's middle schools provided parents and families with health information designed to increase knowledge of nutrition and healthy eating.
59 percent of LHEs gave students homework assignments or health education activities to do at home with their parents during the current school year.

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2014 Georgia Middle School Nutrition Policy Data Summary
How Can Schools Improve Student Nutrition?
By designing and implementing health education curricula: Effective health education curricula provide students with functional health information that helps them to develop the essential health skills necessary to adopt, practice and maintain healthy behaviors.5 Such curricula incorporate learning strategies, teaching methods and materials that are age- and developmentally-appropriate, and culturally inclusive.5 Implementation of effective health education also includes providing continuing education and training for health education teachers.6,7
By providing healthy and safe school environments: Healthy school environments help improve dietary behavior and prevent overweight among youths.8 Components of a healthy school environment include increasing the availability of healthful foods such as fruits and vegetables in snack bars and vending machines, restricting the sale of foods high in fat, sodium and added sugars, and beverages containing caffeine on school grounds, and providing students with access to safe, free drinking water throughout the school day.9,10
By incorporating family and community involvement: This provides an effective integrated approach for improving the health and well-being of students. School health interventions aimed at improving student health outcomes are more effective when they involve parents and community organizations.11 It also ensures that parents are more involved in school health activities and communicate more effectively with school staff about their children's health.12
References
1. The Georgia Department of Education. Enrollment by Ethnicity/Race, Gender and Grade Level (PK-12). Enrollment Count. Available at https://app3.doe.k12.ga.us/ows-bin/owa/fte_pack_ethnicsex.entry_form. Accessed 10/28/2014.
2. Briefel RR, Crepinsek MK, Cabili C, Wilson A, Gleason PM. School food environments and practices affect dietetic behaviors of US public school children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2009;109(Suppl 1):S91S107.
3. Fox MK, Dodd AH, Wilson A, Gleason PM. Association between school food environment and practices and body mass index of US public school children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2009;109(Suppl 2):S108S117.
4. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, Committee on Prevention of Obesity of Children and Youth--Schools. In: JP Koplan, CT Liverman, VI Kraak, eds. Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2005, pp. 237284.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Characteristics of Effective School Health Education Curricula. Atlanta, GA: CDC; 2008. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/Healthyyouth/SHER/characteristics/index.htm
6. Jones SE, Brener ND, McManus T. The relationship between staff development and health instruction in schools in the United States. American Journal of Health Education 2004;35:210
7. Public Education Network. Teacher Professional Development: A Primer for Parents and Community Members. Washington, DC: Public Education Network; 2004.
8. Wechsler H, McKenna ML, Lee SM, Dietz WH. The role of schools in preventing childhood obesity. The State Education Standard 2004; 5(2):4- 12.
9. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, Committee on Prevention of Obesity of Children and Youth--Schools. In: JP Koplan, CT Liverman, VI Kraak, eds. Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2005, pp. 237284.
10. Institute of Medicine. Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools: Leading the Way toward Healthier Youth. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2007.
11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Parent Engagement: Strategies for Involving Parents in School Health. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2012. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/AdolescentHealth/pdf/parent_ engagement_strategies.pdf.
12. Epstein JL. School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools Second Edition. Boulder, CO: Westview Press; 2011.
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