Physical Activity, Health,

and Well-Being
Alyssa Migler, Melchor Miranda, Racheal Molzahn,
Adrienne Noyes, Zachary Parkerlzahn, Adrienne
Noyes, Zachary Parker
arker
 Childhood Obesity
● One-sixth of children in the United states are
obese (Schneider 2014)
● One-sixth of children in the United States are
overweight (Schneider 2014)
● Linked to adult obesity and diabetes (Goto
et al 2019)
● Higher use of technology causes lower
levels of exercise (Goto et al 2019)
● Linked to poor mental health and lower
academic performance (Goto et al 2019)
● Can cause premature mortality (Elks et al
2012)
How might we...
As teachers change this
obesity issue?
What Can We Do to Solve This Problem?
● School based intervention:
○ Healthy eating
○ Physical activity
○ Body image
● More school-based sessions on :
○ Nutrition
○ Physical activity and movement skills
● Healthier incentives:
○ Sugar free candy
○ Fruit or healthy granola if possible
○ Letting students go outside
Drag your dot to how you are feeling:

Keep going, I understand I’m a little confused Stop, I need help!

Physical Education (The Problems)

● The state does not ● Report cards are

● There are zero
require each school apart of all schools
but Physical requirements for
district to have a
Education is not Physical education
licensed physical
educator serving as included as one of in order to pass
a PE coordinator. the subject areas. high school.

Standardized Student Testing

azed.gov
Physical Education (Some Solutions)
Require Physical Doug Ducey signed a
Activity for grades bill into law called sb
k-8th up until High 1083 that would
School. incorporate two
recess periods for
Incorporate children in grades K-
physical activity as 3rd this year. 4th and
part of state 5th graders next year.
azcentral
standards or
requirements.
 Nutritional Value at What Cost?
● Federal, state, local and school board leadership mandate providing nutritional food at
a reasonable price.
● Provide a variety of healthy foods at affordable prices whether:
○ made on site by the traditional “lunch ladies,”
○ catered in through a major food-service organization’
○ or delivered by local eateries.

● Challenges:

○ Meet nutritional guidelines

○ Cost Effective
○ Appealing and not wasted
What did you eat?
A: I usually brought my lunch from home.

B: I usually bought lunch made at school.

C: I usually bought lunch the school brought in from a local restaurant.

D: I usually went off campus for lunch.

E: I usually skipped lunch.

What Does It Cost to Provide Nutritional Lunches?
❖ 2013 Study in Boston Public Schools compared costs and food waste (Cohen, et al, 2013)
➢ On-site prepared meals food waste $47.12 per student per year
➢ Pre-packaged, catered meals food waste $129.60 per student per year
❖ Even when schools followed national guidelines, students pick and choose what appeals to them
❖ A 2016 study found schools serving food that met nutritional standards had higher costs (Newman,
2016)
➢ Mostly due to the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables
➢ Costs also incurred for storing fresh food

The bottom line:

If students are not consuming the higher nutrition valued food there is more cost and more waste

Students will not eat what they do not like!

Cohen, J.F.W., Richardson, S., Austin, S. B., Economos, C. D., and Rimm, E.B., (2013). School lunch waste amongst middle school students – Nutrients consumed and costs. American Journal of Preventive
Medicine. Elsevier, Inc. 44(2):114-121. Accessed 01 Oct 2

Newman, C., The food costs of healthier school lunches. Cambridge Core – Agricultural and Resource Economics Review. April 2012, Vol. 41, Issue 1, 12-28. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1068280500004159
Accessed 01 Oct 2019
Write two things that make food appealing to a student:
Sports in Middle School
By a show of hands….

● How many of you played sports in middle school?

● If so, did you notice any ways it affected your education?
● What was your favorite part of sports?
● What was your least favorite part of participating in sports?
How popular are sports in middle schools?
The popularity of youth sports continues to rise, with an estimated 45 million child
and adolescent participants in the US.

75% of US families with school-aged children have at least one child who
participates in organized sports
Why are sports beneficial to middle school students?
● Regular exercise routine
● Is a strategy to increase energy, activity and fitness to promote health
● Prevents increasing levels of obesity among youth
● Develop lifelong habits of physical activity
● According to a study, student athletes has higher GPAs and a 10% higher
rate for graduating high school
● Develop strong time management and decision-making skills
● Require effort and achievement
Nelson, T. F., Stovitz, S. D., Thomas, M., LaVoi, N. M., Bauer, K. W., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2011). Do youth sports prevent pediatric obesity?
A systematic review and commentary. Current sports medicine reports, 10(6), 360–370. doi:10.1249/JSR.0b013e318237bf74

Lindholm, M. (2017, May 5). The Pros and Cons of Youth Sports Aren't Only Physical.Retrieved
fromhttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/more-women-s-work/201705/the-pros- and-cons-youth-sports-aren-t-only-physical
What are some downfalls of sports in middle school?
● Injuries
○ 2.6 million emergency room visits a year for people ages 5-24
● Lower self-esteem when not performing as well
● Pressure from coaches or parents
● Need to strike the right balance between competition and recreation
Merkel D. L. (2013). Youth sport: positive and negative impact on young athletes. Open access
journal of sports medicine, 4, 151–160. doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S33556
Closing Thoughts
My question to you is…

Do you believe the benefits outway the downfalls?

Are sports necessary to have in middle school?

What are we eating?
Free and Reduced Lunch

How many of you received free or reduced lunch?

Who? What? When? Where? Why?
● National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
○ Established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
■ Signed by president Harry Truman in 1946
○ Federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and
residential child care institutions
○ Provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunches to children each day
● 7.1 million children participated in the NSLP its first year. Now, about 30.4 million children are NLSP
participants
● Participating schools receive cash subsidies and USDA Foods for each reimbursable meal they
serve
○ However, NSLP institutions must serve lunches that meet Federal meal pattern requirements

The National School Lunch Program . (2017, November). Retrieved November 17, 2019, from https://fns-
prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/cn/NSLPFactSheet.pdf.
What are the requirements?
● Calorie intake
○ K-5: 550-650
○ Middle School: 600-700
○ High School: 750-850
● Types of food
○ Servings of:
■ Fruit
■ Veggies
■ Grains
■ Meat
■ Milk

Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements. (2018, December 12). Retrieved November 17, 2019, from
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/12/12/2018-26762/child-nutrition-programs-flexibilities-for-milk-whole-grains-and-sodium-requirements.
What qualifies you?
● Children in households with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible
for free school meals.
● Children in households with incomes between 130 to 185 percent of the federal poverty level are
eligible for reduced-price school meals and can be charged no more than 30 cents for breakfast and
40 cents for lunch.
● Children in households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families, and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations as well
as foster youth, migrant, homeless, or runaway youth, and Head Start participants are “categorically
eligible” for free school meals.
● Children from families with incomes above 185 percent of the federal poverty level may purchase a
“paid meal.” Prices for paid meals are set by each school district.

Hartline-Grafton, H., & Hayes, C. (2019, November 6). School Meal Eligibility and Reimbursements. Retrieved November 17, 2019,
from https://frac.org/school-meal-eligibility-reimbursements.
Incomes that qualify

Hartline-Grafton, H., & Hayes, C. (2019, November 6). School Meal Eligibility and Reimbursements. Retrieved November
17, 2019, from https://frac.org/school-meal-eligibility-reimbursements.
Problems
● Caloric and nutritional needs
○ Struggle of providing foods that are both within calorie intake and nutritional.
○ Children often will go for competitive food due to nutritional food not being as appetizing
● Competitive foods
○ Fast food, a la carte items, vending machines
● Food waste
○ Discard roughly 19% of their entrees
○ 47% of their fruit discarded
○ 25% of milk discarded
○ 73% vegetables discarded
● Rising costs
○ Lunch production costs
○ Making lunch above reimbursement rate
■ Which then dips into schools federal funding as a whole

Ralston, K., Newman, C., Clauson, A., Guthrie, J., & Buzby, J. (2008). The National School Lunch Program: Background, Trends, and Issues. Economic Research Service . Retrieved from
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED502404.pdf

Schneider, L. M., Schembeck, R. M., Chriqui, J. F., & Chaloupka, F. J. (n.d.). The Extent to Which School District Competitive Food and Beverage Policies Align with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Implications for
Federal Regulations, 892–896. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2012.01.025

Cohen, J. F. W., Richardson, S., Austin, S. B., Economos, C. D., & Rimm, E. B. (n.d.). School Lunch Waste Among Middle School Students , 44(2), 114–121. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.09.060
Questions/Comments?
Contact:

● Melchor Miranda: mrmiran1@asu.edu

● Zachary Parker: zseaman@asu.edu
● Alyssa Migler: amigler@asu.edu
● Racheal Molzahn: rmolzahn@asu.edu
● Adrienne Noyes: aenoyes@asu.edu