Guideline 6

Provide students with health, mental health, and social services to address healthy eating, physical activity, and related chronic disease prevention.

Schools are responsible for students’ physical health, mental health, and safety during the school day. Schools should ensure resources are available for identification, follow-up, and treatment of health and mental health conditions related to diet, physical activity, and weight status.

Strategies

Assess student needs related to physical activity, nutrition, and obesity, and provide counseling and other services to meet those needs.
Ensure students have access to needed health, mental health, and social services.
Provide leadership in advocacy and coordination of effective school physical activity and nutrition policies and practices.

Obese children and adolescents are more likely than normal weight children and adolescents to have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, or insulin.