According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American schools are implementing healthier policies and showing some encouraging trends, Health Day News reported.
The CDC’s report is based off of the results of a 2012 comprehensive survey, which found improvements in three key areas of health – nutrition, physical education and tobacco use.
"Schools play a critical role in the health and well-being of our youth," CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden said in an agency news release. "Good news for students and parents -- more students have access to healthy food, better physical fitness activities through initiatives such as 'Let's Move,' and campuses that are completely tobacco-free.”
Some of the nutritional measures schools have taken include banning soft drink advertising on school grounds and prohibiting the sale of junk food in vending machines. In the realm of physical education, many school districts have started requiring elementary schools to teach P.E. And in order to discourage the use of tobacco, many schools districts have started prohibiting all tobacco use during school-related activities.
According to Health Day News, the CDC survey assessed eight aspects of school health: health education; physical education; health services; mental health; nutrition; safe school environment; faculty and staff health promotion; and family and community involvement.
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