The "School Wellness" movement got a kick start a few years ago when the Child Nutrition & WIC Reauthorization Act required schools to have a School Wellness Policy. We now see a blossoming of school wellness programs across California and the rest of the nation.
School Wellness Paths = Same End Goal
Policies and programs all have the same end goals: to improve the health and well-being of students and create a healthy school environment where individuals reach their potential. At our recent Trends meeting, we identified examples of wellness that run the gamut of possibilities. Here are some notable strategies:
- Provide Opportunities to Self-Motivate

A recent study suggests kids need strong internal motivation in order to get fit, not micro-management. Successful strategies encourage kids to get healthy on their own. For example, training kids to prepare simple meals so they can improve their health habits by themselves and not have to rely so much on others.
Students also need to know which choices are healthy choices. Imagine if students received nutrition education each year while in elementary school--that would mean at least 7 years of education preparing them to be self-sufficient and successful in their food and activity choices as adults.
- Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice

When choices are taken away, most people tend to rebel, which results in unintended consequences. Best models encourage conscious choice which will lead to a better chance of a continued behavior.
When schools make subtle environmental changes, more students freely make the healthier choice--a theory expressed by Brian Wansink and David R. Just from Cornell University. Their article on Behavioral Economics makes a fascinating case that simple changes to the cafeteria, i.e. a Smarter Lunchroom lead to healthier choices.

- Blur the Line Between Learning and Playing
Gaming technology may be an economical way to engage more people in wellness programs. Psychologists found that the most successful programs incorporated web or mobile device-based games that helped people change behaviors through a series of achievable goals.
- Remember Schools are Workplaces Too

Its often overlooked that schools are also workplaces for many thousands of people. We recently shared some invigorating ways to link wellness to teachers (and administrator and staff).
Employee wellness, aka Workplace Wellness, plays a huge role in health and happiness of adults on campus and keeps consistency with your health messages. When adults engage in healthy behaviors, children take notice and will likely emulate those
role model behaviors.
- Build Wellness Into the Environment
The big picture is important in school wellness. The goal is to create an environment for success: one that encourages adults and children to make healthier choices both inside and outside of the school gates.
We will be providing hands-on, practical and no cost strategies at our Healthy Schools, Healthy Budgets conference and workshop next week. If you can make it to Los Angeles, hurry and reserve your seats today!
Tracy Witmer, RD
Tracy Witmer, Registered Dietitian
About me:
Tracy Witmer is a registered dietitian and Territory Manager for Dairy Council of California. Within the districts and schools of her 10-county territory, she engages teachers to use nutrition education in the classroom and is touched by the testimonies she hears from teachers, parents and students about its impact.
Tracy volunteers her time to serve as the 2011-2012 President of the Northern Area Dietetic Association. She received her B.S. in Nutrition Science with a Minor in Spanish at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and completed her dietetic internship at CSU Fresno.
As a dietitian, Tracy enjoys dispelling misconceptions about healthy eating and encourages a positive, individual, holistic approach to nutrition. She’s convinced everyone can find ways to eat well and be active, no matter if your day is spent in a school, office, home, car, field or factory. Though she keeps it simple in the kitchen, Tracy’s adventurous spirit is evident in her eating habits. She believes no one should pass an opportunity to try new food when presented with it… at least just a bite.
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