Promoting healthy lifestyles for children & families

Resources

Nutrition in Children and Adolescents Knowledge Path

This "knowledge path" about child and adolescent nutrition offers a selection of current, high-quality resources that analyze data; describe public health campaigns and other promotion programs; and report on research aimed at identifying promising strategies for improving nutrition and eating behaviors within families, schools, and communities.

Nutrition Toolkit for After-school Programs

Developed by San Mateo County, this fact- and resource-filled toolkit includes sections on:
~ Nutrition Standards for snacks (SB 12) & beverages (SB 965)
~ How-to-Calculate fat & sugar limits of snacks (SB 12)
~ Internet Reference List
~ Shopping List of “Healthier Snacks”
~ Shopping List of Processed Snack Foods Adhering to SB 12
~ Portion-Control Posters

Pick a better snack & ACT

Iowa Nutrition Network's social marketing campaign Pick a better snack & ACT encourages fruit and vegetable choices for snacks. The "& ACT" represents the importance of daily physical activity. Iowa Nutrition Network partners worked together to develop Pick a better snack & ACT so that multiple programs could use it.

Playing the Policy Game: Preparing Teen Leaders to Take Action on Healthy Eating and Physical Activity - English, Spanish

This tool kit highlights nutrition and physical activity policies in the school and community that teens can pursue with adult guidance. The booklet includes a collection of activities and success stories of California teens making nutrition and physical activity policy changes in their communities. Playing the Policy Game outlines activities which drive the policy change process.

Roadmap to Improving Food and Physical Activity Environments

This 140-page guide is designed to help coalitions working to build healthier communities, where people have access to healthy foods, and where being physically active can become a way of life for everyone. It is for coalition leaders and members who are new to this work, as well as those who are applying their experience to a new arena or are working with new partners.

School Foods Tool Kit

The Center for Science in the Public Interest's (CSPI) School Foods Tool Kit helps parents, health professionals, community groups, teachers and school administrators to improve the nutritional quality of the meals, snacks and drinks available to students.

School Health Index Tool (SHI)

The School Health Index (SHI) is a self-assessment and planning tool that schools can use to improve their health and safety policies and programs. It's easy to use and completely confidential. SHI was developed by CDC in partnership with school administrators and staff, school health experts, parents, and national nongovernmental health and education agencies for the purpose of:

The Body Positive

The Body Positive has produced the eating disorders prevention guide Body Aloud!, the award-winning DVDs BodyTalk 1, BodyTalk 2, and BodyTalk 3, and a compelling, accompanying standards-based curriculum that integrates self-inquiry and creative projects to help students identify their own beliefs and to make positive choices related to their bodies, eating and exercise.

The Food System: Building Youth Awareness through Involvement

"The Food System: Building Youth Awareness through Involvement" is a guidebook for parents and educators of youth in grades 4 through 12 who are enrolled in 4-H clubs or other youth programs. The 142-page guidebook introduces educators and youth to the concept of the food system, emphasizing interactive learning, skill building and using the community as a classroom.

The School Health Index

The SHI is a self-assessment and planning tool that schools can use to improve their health and safety policies and programs. It was developed by CDC in partnership with school administrators and staff, school health experts, parents, and national non-governmental health and education agencies.