What is being announced?

The Community Preventive Services Task Force<http://www.thecommunityguide.org/about/task-force-members.html> (Task Force) issued separate findings for four types of interventions to increase the availability of healthier meals, snacks, and beverages in schools.

  1.  The Task Force recommends meal interventions and fruit and vegetable snack interventions<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/obesity-meal-fruit-vegetable-snack-interventions-increase-healthier-foods-beverages-schools> to increase the availability of healthier foods and beverages provided by schools. This finding is based on sufficient evidence of effectiveness for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and reducing or not changing the prevalence of obesity or overweight.

  2.  The Task Force recommends multicomponent interventions to increase availability of healthier foods and beverages<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/obesity-multicomponent-interventions-increase-availability-healthier-foods-and-beverages> in schools (i.e., meal and fruit and vegetable snack interventions in combination with healthier snack foods and beverages). This findings is based on sufficient evidence of effectiveness for reducing or not changing the prevalence of obesity or overweight.

  3.  The Task Force finds insufficient evidence<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/obesity-supporting-healthier-snack-foods-and-beverages-sold-or-offered-rewards-schools> to determine the effectiveness of interventions supporting healthier snack foods and beverages sold or offered as a reward<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/obesity-supporting-healthier-snack-foods-and-beverages-sold-or-offered-rewards-schools> in schools.  Evidence is considered insufficient because too few studies evaluated comparable dietary and weight outcomes.

  4.  The Task Force<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/task-force/community-preventive-services-task-force-members> finds insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of interventions to increase water access<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/obesity-increasing-water-access-schools> in schools.

*         These recommendations are based on systematic reviews of all available studies, conducted on behalf of the Task Force by a team of specialists in systematic review methods, and in research, practice, and policy related to obesity prevention and control.

Why is this important?

  *   Approximately 17% of all US children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese. (Ogden et al. 2014).

  *   An estimated 1 in 3 school-aged children and adolescents are overweight or obese (Ogden et al., 2014).

  *   Obese children are more likely to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and are more likely to become obese adults. (Freedman et al. 2007; Rosenbloom et al. 1999; Biro & Wien 2010)

  *   Schools can play an important role in preventing obesity because most U.S. children attend school six hours a day and consume as much as half of their daily calories at school (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016a).

  *   Schools can provide nutritious and appealing foods and beverages in cafeterias, vending machines, school stores, and concession stands (CDC, 2011).

Who should know about this recommendation?

*        School administrators at Elementary, Middle, and High Schools

*        School health councils

*        Families with school age children

*        School administrators who may be interested in incorporating healthy eating opportunities into existing curricula

*        State or school district policy makers who are now in a position to implement policies to establish or strengthen the capacity for school meal and snack programs

What materials are available to help share this information with others?

*         News Story <https://www.thecommunityguide.org/content/obesity-interventions-support-healthier-foods-and-beverages-schools>  – Use this ready-to-go story for newsletters and websites, or simply link to it from the following introduction:

The Community Preventive Services Task Force<http://www.thecommunityguide.org/about/task-force-members.html> announced that it recommends Obesity Prevention and Control: Interventions to Support Healthier Foods and Beverages in Schools<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/topic/obesity>.

*         Share these findings on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ by clicking the share link on the webpage.

*         Sample Tweets –

o   Find out more about #The Community Guide recommendations for schools to address childhood obesity. Via http://bit.ly/2lFOZX7  ; characters: 89

o   Use #TheCommunityGuide for interventions to support healthier foods and beverages in schools. #obesity Via http://bit.ly/2lFOZX7   ; characters: 94

o   New Task Force finding highlights the importance of healthier foods and beverages in school. #TheCommunityGuide Via http://bit.ly/2lFOZX7 ; characters: 101

o   Read #TheCommunityGuide recommendations for increasing the availability of healthier foods and beverages in schools. Via http://bit.ly/2lFUeWY ; characters: 107

o   Task Force recommends interventions to increase the availability of healthier foods and beverages in schools. #TheCommunityGuide http://bit.ly/2kMXal5 ; characters: 114

o   Check out the latest Task Force findings on using interventions to support healthier foods and beverages in schools. #TheCommunityGuide Via http://bit.ly/2lFOZX7  ; characters: 121

*         Community Guide Flyer<https://www.thecommunityguide.org/sites/default/files/assets/CG_flyer.pdf> – Use this as a handout, web link, attachment, or as a source of wording for materials you develop.

*         Descriptions of the Task Force, The Community Guide, and Liaisons – Feel free to use language provided in the next section in your promotional materials.

What are the Task Force, Community Guide, and Liaisons?

*         The Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)<http://www.thecommunityguide.org/about/task-force-members.html> is an independent, nonfederal panel of public health and prevention experts. The Task Force works to improve the health of all Americans by providing evidence-based recommendations about community preventive programs, services, and other interventions to improve health. Its members represent a broad range of scientific, practice, and policy expertise in community prevention services, public health, health promotion, and disease prevention.

*         The Guide to Community Preventive Services<http://www.thecommunityguide.org> (The Community Guide) is a collection of all the evidence-based findings and recommendations of the Community Preventive Services Task Force.

*         Liaisons to the Task Force<http://www.thecommunityguide.org/about/liaisons.html>- Many of the nation’s leading health practice and research agencies and organizations hold official Liaison status with the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force). They participate in Task Force meetings; serve on systematic review teams; represent the views, concerns, and needs of their organizations and constituents; and disseminate findings to their members and constituents.

References

Biro FM, Wien M. Childhood obesity and adult morbidities. Am J Clin Nutr 2010;91(5):1499s-505s.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Comprehensive Framework for Addressing the School Nutrition Environment and Services. Atlanta (GA): 2016b [cited 2017 Jan 4]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/pdf/school_nutrition_framework_508tagged.pdf.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School health guidelines to promote healthy eating and physical activity. MMWR 2011; 60(5):1-76.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School Nutrition Environment. Atlanta (GA): 2016a [cited 2017 Jan 4]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/schoolnutrition.htm.

Freedman DS, Mei Z, Srinivasan SR, Berenson GS, Dietz WH. Cardiovascular risk factors and excess adiposity among overweight children and adolescents: the Bogalusa Heart Study. J Pediatr 2007;150(1):12-7 e2.

Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. Jama 2014;311(8):806-14.

Rosenbloom AL, Joe JR, Young RS, Winter WE. Emerging epidemic of type 2 diabetes in youth. Diabetes Care 1999;22(2):345-54