Issue Briefs & Highlights
Research Briefs & Highlights
Policy Briefs & Highlights
Guides
Case Studies
Journal Articles & Supplements
Reports
Tools & Toolkits 

 
Issue Briefs & Highlights
Preventing Obesity in Youth through School-Based Efforts
An issue brief from the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices that examines how states can help prevent and reduce obesity among school-age youth.
http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/022603PREVENTING.pdf 

Research Briefs & Highlights
Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes and Public Health
This brief, a collaborative between Bridging the Gap and Healthy Eating Research, provides an overview of the current research on the health impacts of SSB consumption, how food and beverage prices affect consumption and related weight outcomes, and the potential impact of both large and small SSB taxes.
http://www.reversechildhoodobesity.org/webfm_send/6

School Foods Sold Outside of Meals (Competitive Foods)
Schools that provide federally reimbursed meal programs must meet federal nutrition standards. But snacks and drinks sold outside of these programs—so-called "competitive foods"—do not have to meet these requirements. This brief examines the availability of competitive foods, their nutritional content, their impact on students' food consumption, and policies for improving the school food environment.
http://www.healthyeatingresearch.org/images/stories/her_research_briefs/hercompetfoodsresearchbrief.pdf  
 

Policy Briefs & Highlights
Impact of Federal Commodity Programs on School Meal Nutrition
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Child Nutrition Commodity Program provides much of the food served at public schools. A Healthy Eating Research study found that most of the foods offered through this program do not meet the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This policy highlight summarizes research and offers recommendations for federal policy-makers on how to improve the program.
http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=34381  

Improving Child Nutrition Policy: Insights from the National USDA Study of School Food Environments
This policy brief from RWJF provides highlights and other key findings from an analysis of the third School Nutrition Assessment study. The brief also offers evidence-based policy recommendations.
http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/20090102sndapolicybrief.pdf  

School Wellness Policies
This policy brief describes state legislation and the federal law that requires each school district participating in federally funded school meals programs to establish a school wellness policy.
http://www.ncsl.org/bookstore/productdetail.htm?prodid=0190001448&keywords=school%20wellness  

State Farm-to-School Policies
Farm-to-school programs provide students with fresh, local and healthy foods; increases their knowledge of nutrition and agriculture; and provides local farmers with another market. This brief offers examples of how such policies work, which states are implementing them, and guidance on how to overcome potential barriers.
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/pubs/summaries/08lbaugsep_policies-sum.htm  
 

Child Nutrition Program: Federal Options and Opportunities

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity released this position paper to highlight the federal options and opportunities available within Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act that are being considered in 2009-2010.

http://www.reversechildhoodobesity.org/webfm_send/35

Guides           
Healthy Schools Program Framework
This guide outlines specific steps schools can take to create healthier school environments. The criteria are reviewed and revised annually by the American Heart Association and the Healthy Schools Program to ensure they are both credible and usable for schools.
http://www.healthiergeneration.org/schools.aspx?id=76&ekmensel=1ef02451_10_114_btnlink  

Mapping School Food
Mapping School Food looks at the problems and issues faced by school decision-makers who draft and enforce school food policies. Mapping School Food is based on interviews and case studies and is designed to help you navigate the legal and policy complexities of school food. This guide is a good first step in learning to implement changes in school foods.
http://www.phaionline.org/2007/11/06/mapping-school-food-a-policy-guide/

Model School Wellness Policies
Model nutrition and physical activity policies were developed to meet the 2004 Child Nutrition Act federal requirement. This comprehensive set of model nutrition and physical activity policies is based on nutrition science, public health research, and existing practices from exemplary states and local school districts around the country. The first priority in the development of these policies was to promote children's health and well-being. However, feasibility of policy implementation also was considered.
http://www.schoolwellnesspolicies.org/  

Case Studies
Lessons from the Field: Promoting Healthy Eating in Schools
Includes stories from the field that highlight the work, accomplishments and lessons learned from seven community partnerships across the country: Albuquerque, NM; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Columbia, MO; Denver, CO; and Seattle, WA. These Healthy Eating by Design 18-month pilot projects were funded in June 2005 to identify and implement promising healthy eating strategies for children in low-income communities or school settings. http://www.activelivingbydesign.org/sites/default/files/HEbD_CS_School.pdf

Journal Articles & Supplements
American School Board Journal Special Report:
School Health and Leadership
These three articles explore the role of school leadership in addressing school wellness and childhood obesity. Topics include advocating for school wellness, building community partnerships, and ensuring sustainability. http://www.nsba.org/MainMenu/SchoolHealth/SelectedNSBAPublications/HealthyEating/School-Health-Leadership.aspx    

Reports

The Public Health and Economic Benefits of Taxing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

The New England Journal of Medicine published this report on the health and economic benefits of soda tax.

http://www.content.nejm.org/cgi/reprint/NEJMhpr0905723v1.pdf

Shaping a Healthier Generation: Successful State Strategies to Prevent Childhood Obesity

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices released this report that examines what states are currently doing to prevent obesity and encourage children to eat healthier and be more active in various settings including early childhood care and education, communities and health care settings. A justification of these settings is included as well as short chapters examining current state efforts in each.

www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0909HEALTHIERGENERATION.PDF

Healthy Food For All: Building Equitable and Sustainable Food Systems in Detroit and Oakland 
This new report by PolicyLink, the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University, and the Fair Food Network, shows clearly that our food system – from farm to table to landfill – is broken, unhealthy, unsustainable, and unjust.

http://www.policylink.org/atf/cf/%7B97C6D565-BB43-406D-A6D5-ECA3BBF35AF0%7D/Healthy%20Food%20For%20All-8-19-09-FINAL.pdf

Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, released by the Centers for Disease Control, published this study which is a set of comprehensive recommendations to promote healthy eating and active living and reduce the prevalence of obesity in the United States.  The report contains 24 recommended obesity prevention strategies focusing on environmental and policy level change initiatives that can be implemented by local governments and school districts. The strategies address promoting the availability of healthy food and beverages, encouraging healthy food choice, breastfeeding and physical activity. www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5807a1.htm

To assist local governments, states, and policy makers implement the CDC recommended obesity prevention strategies and report on the associated measurements a detailed Implementation and Measurement Guide was developed. The guide includes measurement data protocols, a listing of useful resources, and examples of communities that successfully implemented each obesity prevention strategy.  The Implementation and Measurement Guide is available at: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/downloads/community_strategies_guide.pdf

Year 4 Evaluation: Arkansas Act 1220 of 2003 to Combat Childhood Obesity
In 2003, Arkansas enacted a law requiring schools to make improvements to their school wellness policies and their food and physical activity environments in order to help students lead healthier lives. This annual evaluation examines how these requirements are being implemented.
http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=31871  

Assessment of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity in Arkansas
This report details statewide student weight classifications and BMI assessment participation for five consecutive years. Body mass index (BMI) data for the 2007-2008 school year indicate the state has continued to halt the progression of childhood obesity.
http://www.achi.net/ChildObDocs/080918YearFiveBMIReport.pdf

F as in Fat 2009: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America*
This annual report from Trust for America’s Health examines obesity rates in each state, as well as the policies state and local governments are enacting to help address the problem. Although many promising policies have emerged to promote physical activity and good nutrition in communities, the report concludes that they are not being adopted or implemented at levels needed to turn around this health crisis. http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2009/Obesity2009Report.pdf

F as in Fat 2008: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America
This annual report from Trust for America’s Health examines obesity rates in each state, as well as the policies state and local governments are enacting to help address the problem. Although many promising policies have emerged to promote physical activity and good nutrition in communities, the report concludes that they are not being adopted or implemented at levels needed to turn around this health crisis.
http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2008/  

Balance: A Report on State Action to Promote Nutrition, Increase Physical Activity and Prevent Obesity
The Balance report summarizes the key legislative and non-legislative action and trends of 2007. It includes information on active-living and healthy-eating initiatives in schools and communities, and how state policies progressed during the previous year.
http://www.rwjf.org/childhoodobesity/product.jsp?id=31471  

Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities and Youth Obesity
This publication describes the insights gained from three county-school dialogues and contains practical, replicable information for community leaders derived from their peers. The report also describes two related forums with African-American and Latino county officials regarding the impacts of obesity among the youth of their communities.
http://www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=106  

Local Wellness Policies: Assessing School District Strategies for Improving Children’s Health, School Years 2006–07 and 2007–08
This report by Bridging the Gap is a comprehensive review of wellness policies and uses research to set a baseline for examining and ultimately improving these policies.
http://www.rwjf.org/childhoodobesity/product.jsp?id=46348

Tools & Toolkits
Revenue Calculator for Soft Drink Taxes

The Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity has developed a revenue calculator for soft drink taxes which estimates potential federal, state, or city revenues by allowing the user to choose the tax per ounce and the approach to taxing soft drinks.  www.yaleruddcenter.org/sodatax.aspx.

Healthy Schools Builder
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation created this easy-to-use online tool to help schools take six steps toward creating healthier school environments.
http://www.healthiergeneration.org/builder/?ekmensel=1ef02451_10_14_btnlink  

Healthy Schools Product Navigator
Use this free tool to create a shopping list of foods from companies that have agreed to produce and sell products to schools that meet the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s healthy snack guidelines. Just browse the catalog, add items to your shopping list and print. Check back often because as more companies commit to work with the Alliance, more products will be added to the Navigator.
http://www.healthiergeneration.org/schools.aspx?id=424&ekmensel=1ef02451_10_86_btnlink  

Healthy Schools Product Calculator
Use the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s calculator to determine if a snack food or side item meets the Alliance guidelines for competitive foods.
http://www.healthiergeneration.org/schools.aspx?id=576&ekmensel=1ef02451_10_108_btnlink

Make A Difference at Your School:
a CDC Resource for Implementing Childhood Obesity Strategies
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reviews scientific evidence to determine which school-based policies and practices are most likely to improve key health behaviors among young people, including physical activity and healthy eating. Based on these reviews, CDC has identified 10 strategies to help schools prevent obesity by promoting physical activity and healthy eating. This toolkit provides user-friendly tools that help schools effectively implement each of the strategies. 
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/KeyStrategies/pdf/make-a-difference.pdf
 
Environmental Nutrition and Activity Community Tool (ENACT)
ENACT is a hands-on assessment and planning resource for organizations, coalitions, schools and communities that are trying to improve their nutrition and physical activity environments. It was created by the Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments, and the tool can be used on a yearly basis to evaluate past and current efforts around nutrition and physical activity improvements and offer new priorities for the year ahead. http://www.preventioninstitute.org/sa/enact/members/index.php  

National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE): Policies to Encourage Healthy Eating
In partnership with CDC-DASH and many collaborators, NASBE has developed research-based, best practice model policy language on various school health topics that states, districts, and schools can adopt or adapt for themselves. The points they address were suggested by the CDC's scientifically rigorous school health guidelines, state and local policies, and comments from expert reviewers.
http://www.nasbe.org/index.php/component/content/article/78-model-policies/122-policies-to-encourage-healthy-eating   

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