Health Promotion Council, NPCHF celebrate anti-obesity program
Jane Natali, supervisor of food service for Souderton Area School District, is seen through a WISE SNAC “Glass Apple” award as she addresses the audience for the WISE SNAC celebration on Tuesday March 26, 2013. Photo by Mark C Psoras, The Reporter.
Download the full WISE SNAC 2013 Milestone Report
And individual school district reports: North Penn, Souderton Area, Wissahickon.
LOWER SALFORD — Eight years ago, when the North Penn Community Health Foundation and the Health Promotion Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania launched the Wellness Initiative for the School Environment: Smart Nutrition and Activity Collaborative (WISE SNAC), nearly 30 percent of elementary school children in the greater North Penn region of Montgomery County were overweight or obese.
Implementation of the program — operated by the HPC, health foundation and guided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Coordinated School Health Program model (CSHP) — in the North Penn, Souderton and Wissahickon school districts has reduced the obesity rate by approximately 2 percent, according to Courtney Grove, the council’s program coordinator.
On Tuesday afternoon, during the WISE SNAC Celebration Event inside the community room at Harleysville Insurance, representatives of each district and some community partners presented examples of success in combating childhood obesity.
Those 50 partners included municipalities throughout the three school districts as well as health care professionals, recreational groups and sports organizations, according to Russell Johnson, the Community Health Foundation’s president and CEO.
Toni Butz, the North Penn School District’s manager of curriculum, called the program a crucial “change agent” for students to embrace wellness and healthy lifestyle choices.
Jane Natali, the supervisor of food services for the Souderton Area School District, told the audience the program has brought the district’s lunch menu into the 21st century.
The foundation and the council also honored leaders from each district and representatives and those non-school participating entities.
From the North Penn district, Sally Kauffman, the school nurse coordinator; Pam Gallagher, the coordinator of school nutrition services; and Butz were recognized.
From the Souderton Area School District, Frank Gallagher, the assistant superintendent and director of pupil services; Robin Fox, the school nurse coordinator; and Natali were similarly honored.
Besides thanking the participants for their efforts, the celebration hoped to convince them to continue the work started by the collaborate, according to Grove.
She says the main goal of the program — which addresses healthy eating and physical activity by engaging stakeholders from eight key areas within the school environment — was to positively impact the impact eating habits and physical activity of students in elementary school.
According to Grove, one of the program’s main goals was to reduce the Body Mass Index for students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
“But it’s not the only metric,” she said.
Johnson compared an attempt to change people’s eating habits and behaviors — which also provided training and technical assistance to community-based organizations such as local YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs, and municipal parks and recreations committees — to getting vehicle drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.
According to a report on the initiative’s accomplishments, the school districts have improved the school food environment while increasing opportunities for physical activity before, during, and after school, as well as created increased access to resources and professional development opportunities for school staff to integrate healthy eating and physical activity into the school day.
“As a result of this and complementary efforts, an increasing percentage of students, caregivers and school staff are adopting healthier habits,” the report states, such as eating a good breakfast every day, and are consuming more fruits and vegetables and less soda and sugary beverages while engaging in more physical activity.
“Most notably, however, is the decline in prevalence of overweight and obesity among students, supporting the notion that environmental support for healthy habits can help to turn the tide in the fight against childhood obesity,” according to the report.
After consulting with the HPC,each district utilized a different method to improve the health of their students, according to Grove.
She said that at North Penn, officials provided the resources to allow elementary school teachers to build in an additional 10 minutes of daily activity in each classroom.
According to Grove, Souderton started a salad bar at each elementary school, and Wissahickon started a district wide gardening program.
“This was not a one-size-fits-all solution,” Johnson said during the ceremony.
“As a district, we are proud of the positive changes our schools have made to support healthy lifestyles,” Gallagher said in the report. “Seeing the impact that changes to school food have had on our students’ health has made all of the time and effort worth it.”
From Bradley Schlegel. (2013 March 27). Health Promotion Council, North Penn Community, Health Foundation celebrate the end of anti-obesity program. The Reporter. Retrieved from: http://www.thereporteronline.com/article/20130327/NEWS01/130329599/health-promotion-council-north-penn-community-health-foundation-celebrate-the-end-of-anti-obesity-program#full_story