A recent survey by Field Research Corp. has revealed that most people in the United States believe K-12 schools should lead the way in fighting childhood obesity.
According to a news release by Kaiser Permanente, 78 percent of parents nationwide think that healthier food in schools will increase academic performance and a similar percentage say that regular physical activity during the school day will also boost school achievement.
More than eight in 10 Americans endorse new national school nutrition standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that include more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less sodium, saturated and trans fats in meals. They also voice strong support for extending USDA standards to foods that children can buy at school outside of meal times.
Survey results also indicated that Americans believe their local K-12 schools should play the biggest community role in fighting obesity, with 90 percent endorsing a school role on this issue. The public also expresses a high degree of willingness to take actions to reduce obesity in their own lives, in the lives of family members and in their own communities.
February saw the launch of Thriving Schools a comprehensive initiative from Kaiser Permanente focused on creating a culture of health in schools. You can read more about Thriving Schools on the official website. Findings on the Field Research Corp. study can be found here, or you can read the full report here.
