Institute of Medicine Report, published May 2013. The school environment is key in encouraging and providing opportunities for kids to be active. In this light, the Institute of Medicine was asked to examine the status of physical activity and physical education efforts in schools, how physical activity and fitness affect health outcomes, and what can be done to help schools get kids to become more active—ultimately improving kids' health. The recommendations in this report provide approaches for strengthening and improving programs and policies for physical activity and physical education in the school environment, including before, during, and after school.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published May 2014. Schools, health agencies, parents, and communities share a common goal of supporting the link between healthy eating, physical activity, and improved academic achievement of children and adolescents. Evidence shows that the health of students is linked to their academic achievement. Public health and education professionals can use this resource to share the link between healthy eating, physical activity, and improved academic achievement to engage stakeholders in working together to support healthy school environments.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last published 2012. The School Health Policies and Practices Study is a national survey periodically conducted to assess school health policies and practices at the state, district, school, and classroom levels. The most recent results available are from state- and district-level data collected during 2012. In 2014, SHPPS collected school- and classroom-level data using 9 questionnaires. Results from SHPPS 2014 will be available in the summer of 2015.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last published 2012. The School Health Profiles is a system of surveys assessing school health policies and practices in states, large urban school districts, territories, and tribal governments. Profiles surveys are conducted every two years by education and health agencies among middle and high school principals and lead health education teachers.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last published 2013. The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System monitors health-risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults, including unhealthy dietary behaviors and inadequate physical activity. YRBSS also measures the prevalence of obesity and asthma among youth and young adults. YRBSS includes a national school-based survey conducted by CDC and state, territorial, tribal, and local surveys conducted by state, territorial, and local education and health agencies and tribal governments.
National Association of State Boards of Education, published 2012. Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn provides guidance on developing a multifaceted set of policies aimed at establishing comprehensive school-based physical activity opportunities that promote lifelong habits of physical activity among children, adolescents, and school staff. The model policies included are intended to address all aspects of the school setting that influence a young person's physical activity patterns.
Active Living Research. Schools play a critical role in helping children lead active, healthy lives. Research shows that kids who move more aren’t just healthier, they also tend to do better academically, behave better in class and miss fewer days of school. Policy-makers, teachers and parents can use this research on the benefits of school physical activity to advocate for programs and policies that help children be active before, during and after school.
National Physical Activity Plan, published 2010. The National Physical Activity Plan is a comprehensive set of policies, programs, and initiatives that aim to increase physical activity in all segments of the American population. The plan is the product of a private-public sector collaborative. Hundreds of organizations are working together to change our communities in ways that will enable every American to be sufficiently physically active.
PHIT America is a cause and campaign dedicated to increasing physical activity and fitness to improve the health of America. PHIT America was launched in January 2013 with the support of over 100 companies and organizations working together to accomplish this mission.