Websites

AAA State of Play -- a webpage that offers exercise ideas and fun fitness activities for children.

National Academy of Medicine -- an overview of the NAM's stance on the importance of health literacy and strategies to achieve it in light of the covid-19 pandemic. 

National School Lunch Program--link to the federal site, including fact sheets.

Updates to the School Nutrition Standards Site--2020-2025 updates to dietary standards, and an FAQ that addresses questions about the ability of schools to incorporate local food and flavors, and why the changes to standards are being made. 

School Nutrition Association -- this website offers a list of schools that have either already banned, or are working to ban trans fat, and discusses some of the obstacles to accomplishing this goal.

School Lunches Cause Obesity -- this is a study investigating whether school lunches contribute significantly to childhood obesity. The results indicate that they do, and that if school lunches were healthier, obesity in students would decline.

Told to Eat Its Vegetables, America Orders Fries -- This New York Times article discusses the lack of vegetables in Americans' diets. 

Congress Approves Child Nutrition Bill -- This New York Times article highlights the changes in school lunches with the passage of the Child Nutrition Bill.

Lunch for Life -- This Channel 11 New excerpt discusses changing school lunches with the addition of fruits and vegetables.

Cooking with Kids -- This website provides programs that aim to provide children with positive experiences with healthy food.

Farm to School Network -- A national organization that focuses on informed food choices and connecting schools with their local food economy.

USDA Funding Cuts -- Article about the 2025 funding cuts for local food programs. 

KidsHealth.org -- This website has material for kids, parents, and teens dealing with all aspects of health.

HelpGuide.org -- A website offering solutions and advice to help resolve a wide variety of health challenges.

Unhealthy School Meals: A Solution to Hunger or a Problem for Health?--This article briefly summarizes the approaches various nations take to the issue of what and how to feed children at school. 

Action for Healthy Kids -- This website provides information on why maintaining a healthy lifestyle is necessary for children.

Nutrition for Children -- A video clip from NBC's medical news that provides tips on how to instill healthy eating habits in young children and teenagers. 

School Nutrition Association -- This website provides up to date discussions and topics regarding children’s food in schools. A perfect way for teachers or parents to know just how the nutritional value of hot lunches.

Dispensing Junk-- A study about how vending machines undermine attempts to feed children well in the schools.



A Teacher Openly Crusades for Better School Food and Gets Seared -- article about a public school teacher who wanted to promote healthier diets for her students but faced opposition from the administration.

Youth Sport: Positive and Negative Impacts on Young Athletes-- article that explores the state of youth sports, including injury rates, retention rates, and the training of coaches. 

Tackle Football at a Young Age-- Article about the findings of a Boston University study that links playing tackle football from a young age with reduced white matter in the brain, and a high risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy from repeated hits. 

Books and Articles

Cooper, A. & Holmes, L. 2006. Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed our Children. New York: Collins.

Elder, J., Arredondo, E., Campbell, N. & Baquero, B. 2010. Individual, Family, and Community Environmental Correlates of Obesity in Latino Elementary School Children. The Journal of School Health, 80(1): 20.

Evers, L. & Buckle, C. 2006. How to Teach Nutrition to Kids. Portland: C Liakos Evers Print.

French, S. A., Story, M., Fulkerson, J. A., Gerlach, A. F.. 2003. Food Environment in Secondary Schools: A la carte, Vending machines, and Food Policies and Practices. American Journal of Public Health. 93, 1161-1168.

Lindsay, A., Sussner, K., Greaney, M. & Peterson, K. 2009. Influence of Social Context on Eating, Physical Activity, and Sedentary Behaviors of Latina Mothers and Their Preschool-Age Children. Health Education and Behavior, 36(1): 81-96.

Lowry, R., Wechsler, H., Galuska, D., Fulton, J. & Kann, L. 2002. Television Viewing and Its Associations with Overweight, Sedentary Lifestyle, and Insufficient Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables Among US High School Students: Differences by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender. The Journal of School Health, 72(10): 413-21.

McDuffie, T. & George, R. 2009. School Day Eating Habits of Inner-City, African American Adolescents. The Journal of Negro Education, 78(2): 114-22.

Noble, C. 1997. Daring to drop D.A.R.E. Health Education, 97(5): 5.

Jowers, K., Bradshaw, C. & Gately, S. 2007. Taking School-Based Prevention to Scale: District-Wide Implementation of Keep a Clear Mind. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education, 51(3).

Goldberg, L. 1996. The Adolescents Training and Learning to Avoid Steroids (ATLAS) Prevention Program: Background and Results of a Model Intervention. Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 150(7): 713-721.

Poppendieck, J. 2010. Free for All: Fixing School Food in America. Berkeley: University of California.

Randy, K. 2009. A Mediation Analysis of the ATHENA Intervention for Female Athletes: Prevention of Athletic-Enhancing Substances Use and Unhealthy Weight Loss Behaviors. Journal of Pediatric Psychology.

Gray, P. 2005. Prevention Work with Children Disaffected from School. Health Education, 105(1).

Winter, S. 2009. Childhood Obesity in the Testing Era: What Teachers and Schools Can Do! Childhood Education, 85(5): 283-88.