Basics of Teaching Nutrition Education
& Physical Activity in the Classroom
Why worry about nutrition and
physical activity?
 Diet is linked with 5 of the 10 leading causes of death:
 Coronary heart disease
 Some types of cancer
 Stroke
 Type 2 diabetes
 Atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries)
A Dangerous Trend
 Data from the 2011 National Youth Risk Behavior
Surveillance System showed that, of students in
grades 9-12:
 36% did not eat fruit/100% fruit juice one or more times
per day
 37.7% did not eat vegetables one or more times per day
 12.2% did not eat for 24 hours or more to lose weight or
to keep from gaining weight
 Obese children and adolescents are more likely to
become obese as adults.
Concern About Physical Inactivity
 Data from the 2011 National Youth Risk Behavior
Surveillance System showed that, of students in
grades 9-12:
32.4% watched television 3 or more hours per
day
13.8% did not participate in at least 60 minutes
of physical activity on any days of the week
Only 49.5% were physically active for a total of
at least 60 minutes/day on at least 5 days of the
week
Childhood Obesity
 Data from NHANES surveys (1976–1980 and
2009–2010) show that the prevalence of obesity
has increased:
for children aged 2–5 years, prevalence
increased from 5.0% to 12.1%
for those aged 6–11 years, prevalence increased
from 6.5% to 18.0%
for those aged 12–19 years, prevalence
increased from 5.0% to 18.4%
Long-Term Health Consequences
 Obese children and adolescents are more likely to:
Become obese as adults
Have health problems related to cardiovascular
disease such as high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes
Have bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and
social and psychological problems such as
stigmatization and poor self-esteem
Finding the Time
 If you don’t have extra time to devote to nutrition,
how do you squeeze it into an already busy school
day?
 Integrate with other subjects
 Take advantage of mealtime and small breaks in the day
Overcoming Additional Barriers
 Other possible barriers:
Special Needs
Confidence
Space
Ideas
Good Nutrition
 Provides students with a solid foundation for
lifelong health.
 Increases the odds of healthy & attentive
students.
 Assures optimal development and growth
 Has positive effects on:
Alertness
Attention
Performance on standardized achievement tests
Teaching Nutrition Basics
 Nutrition education doesn’t need to occur in
formal lessons
Be a healthy role model!
Healthy foods at class parties
Eliminate soft drinks
Use non-food items as
rewards
Teaching Nutrition Basics
www.ChooseMyPlate.gov
What are the components of
MyPlate?
 Five food groups
 Uses a familiar mealtime visual, a place
setting
 Reminder to eat healthfully
 Includes the website address for
ChooseMyPlate.gov
MyPlate Messages
 Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
 Make half your grains whole
 Vary your veggies
 Focus on fruits
 Get your calcium-rich foods
 Go lean with protein
Using MyPyramid
 MyPyramid also teaches nutrition by food groups.
 Focus on eating a variety of foods
 Moderation
 Eat more foods that are low in added sugar and fat
 Cut back on packaged snacks & drinks that are high in
sugar and/or fat
 Balance food intake with physical activity.
Teaching Nutrition to Preschoolers
Teaching Nutrition Basics
 Encourage youngsters to:
Try new foods
Eat a variety of foods
Get plenty of playtime activity
 Resources on www.ChooseMyPlate.gov
MyPyramid Coloring Activity
Healthy Foods Rainbow
ChooseMyPlate.gov
Preschool Resources
 Use resources from choosemyplate.gov
Daily food plan
Developing healthy eating habits
Tips for picky eaters
Meal and snack information
Healthy Eating for Preschoolers
Mini-Poster
Teaching Nutrition in the
Elementary Classroom
MyPlate Activity
• MyPyramid for Kids resources available for elementary
students of all ages
Teaching Nutrition in Middle and
High School Classrooms
My Daily Food Plan Activity
 How does your intake compare to the recommendations?
 Create a customized Daily Food Plan at
www.ChooseMyPlate.gov
 An easy way to get older students to think more critically
about what they are eating.
Physical Activity
 Children and adolescents should get 60 minutes or
more of physical activity EACH day.
 It is one of the most important things that children &
adults can do for their health. It can help:
 Control weight
 Reduce risk of disease (cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer,
etc.)
 Strengthen bones and muscles
 Improve mental health & mood
 Keep thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp
Let’s give it a try!
 Toss and Catch
 Share:
Your favorite fruit or vegetable
Your favorite physical activity
Your favorite food served in the school
cafeteria
Preschools
 Learning to be physically active from an early age
sets the groundwork for a lifetime of healthy
habits
 Physical activity
Helps to develop motor skills and coordination
Can help children learn to feel good about
themselves
Helps with mental development
Free play also helps children use their
imagination and be creative
Physical Activity Show-and-Tell
 Young children love to show off new skills
 Encourage children to share achievements by
holding a weekly physical activity show-and-tell.
 Make sure the environment is supportive,
cheerful, and nonjudgmental
Older Students
 Beginning to experience freedom to make choices
 Regular physical activity may:
 Improve self-esteem
 Help to manage weight
 Increase fitness levels
 Help build and maintain bones, muscles, and joints
 School staff can impact physical activity choices by
being a healthy role model and providing
opportunities to be active during the school day
A Few Examples…
 For younger children:
 Basic movements and motor skills:
Tossing and catching
Jumping, hopping and skipping
Side-stepping
Balancing (on toes, on one foot, on one foot and
two hands, etc.)
Pattern movements (hopscotch, dance steps,
“Simon Says” etc.)
A Few Examples…
 For older children and
adolescents:
Emphasize team-building
 Work in teams to complete
tasks
 Require multiple people to be successful
 Encourage participation from ALL students
Provide opportunities for creativity
 Support student creativity
 Listen to students’ suggestions
Time for a “break”
 Stand next to a number
 When the music starts, move around the room to
touch the next number in sequence
 Keep going until you get back to your original number
 Classroom applications?
A few last-minute tips!
 Allow energetic kids a
chance to move and play
 Limit directions, rules and
explanations
 Share activities with
parents