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HEAL and Schools

Schools, including before/after schools and preschools/early child care,
support healthy eating and active living for students and staff through policies, practices and programs that improve access to healthy foods and beverages and opportunities for physical activity. Examples include nutrition standards for all foods and beverages provided at schools, standards for daily physical activity, and healthy eating and active living policies for before/after school and preschool/early childcare programs.

HEAL's Recommended Strategies for Schools

• Adopt nutrition standards that support the sale and distribution of healthier nutrient-dense foods and beverages during the school day (i.e., meal menus, vending machines, birthday/holiday celebrations, fundraising events, concession stands)
• Restrict the sale, and limit advertising and promotions of less healthy foods and beverages during the school day
• Adopt and implement a policy to provide developmentally appropriate daily physical activity and exercise through physical education classes, recess, interscholastic sports, club or intramural sports, and integrating physical activity into the academic curriculum
• Support school wellness committees to implement school wellness policies and plans
• Conduct highly visible school-wide healthy eating active living campaigns with messages directed to students, staff and parents through various media

Before/After School Programs

• Adopt policies to serve and/or promote healthy snacks and provide for some physical activity each day
• Substitute non-educational screen time with active games and team building activities/exercises
• Include before and after school programs in school wellness policies and plans

Preschools/Early Child Care Programs

• Adopt policies that promote healthy snacks and physical activity, stimulation and limited sedentary time for children
• Provide skill based nutrition and physical activity learning opportunities for students staff and families

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