Overweight and Obesity in Schools

CDC Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System (YRBSS) data from 2005 reveal that:

• 18.8% of high school students (grades 9-12) were overweight (between the 85th and 95th percentile for BMI)(1);
• 13% were obese (95th percentile for BMI);
• 31.5% described themselves as being overweight;
• 43% of survey respondents reported that they were trying to lose weight;
• Another 15.7% are at risk of becoming overweight.

See also a state by state comparision of 2005 and 2003 (based on data from the YRBSS and the School Health Profiles)

The data further show that overweight and obese students were more likely to be

• Male
• African American
• Among females, African American and Hispanic females.

School-Based Initiatives for Childhood Overweight and Obesity

Nutrition in Schools

Additional Resources

US Department of Agriculture National School Lunch Program

CDC, Guidelines for School Health Programs to Promote Lifelong Healthy Eating, MMRW June 14, 1996/45 (RR-9); 1-33.

Institute of Medicine, Schools can play a Role in Preventing Childhood Obesity,

American Obesity Association, Schools play a critical factor in preventing childhood overweight and obesity, National Association of State Boards of Education, Healthy Schools,

• Sample Policies to Encourage Healthy Eating. 
• Bogden, J.  State Policies on the Sale of Food and Beverages in Schools. 

The George Washington University Center for Health and Health Care in Schools, Parents Resource Center, School Lunch and Nutrition

School Nutrition Action Group (SNAG) school-based alliances of staff, students, health and education professionals, and parents to improve healthy food options in schools.

Promoting Healthy Eating at School, California Project LEAN.  The Charlotte-Mechlenburg Schools Child Nutritional Services, and the Mecklenburg county Health Department partnered to develop an innovative approach to improve healthy eating in schools.

Source:

(1) Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, McDowell MA, Tabak CJ, Flegal KM. Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in the United States, 1999-2004. JAMA 2006;295:1549-1555.

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