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Youth Program

K-12 School Based Health and Wellness Education

Discover Strategic Steps To Boost Student Confidence While Improving Academic Performance And Reducing Obesity In Children And Adolescents.

Our school-based health and wellness education program is a valuable resource for improving student health outcomes:

Teach children to eat nutritious foods and consistently engage in physical activity to ensure they are:

Investing in early health and wellness intervention will positively contribute to the academic success of your school community while supporting the social-emotional development of your students.

Close up of young kids hanging onto each other
Kid raising his hand in a school classroom

How Our Program Works

Infographic of Monitor My Health's Youth Program's benefits
Infographic of how Monitor My Health's Youth Program works

Prevent Obesity And Promote Physical Activity And Healthy Eating

Risk Factors That Highly Increase A Student’s Need For A Healthy And Balanced Lifestyle

Obesity

 

Obesity prevalence in children and adolescents aged 2-19 is 18.5%. Among 12 to 19 years old, obesity prevailed at 20.6%. Moreover, childhood obesity is more common among certain populations. Hispanic children had a prevalence of 25.8% and non-Hispanic Black children had a prevalence of 22.0%.

 

Inadequate Bone Health

 

Diet and physical activity are responsible for 10%-50% of bone mass and structure.

 

Iron Deficiency

 

Among females, the prevalence of iron deficiency is 9%. Children and adolescents who are overweight or obese are twice as likely to be iron deficient.

 

Eating Disorders:

 

In 2009, a national sample of high school students showed that 11% of students had gone without eating for more than 24 hours, 5% had taken diet pills, powders, or liquids without a physician’s advice, and 4% had vomited or taken laxatives to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight during the 30 days before the survey.

Cardiovascular Disease

 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and studies indicate that risk factors occur more frequently in obese children.

 

Cancer

 

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, and lifestyle-related risk factor play a major role in many types of cancer.

 

Diabetes

 

About one-third of American youth are overweight, which is a problem closely related to the increase in kids with type 2 diabetes.

Our program targets females and males, 6 to 19, who can prevent obesity and improve school performance

Key Facts

During the last 3 decades, the prevalence of obesity has tripled among persons aged 6–19 years.

Obesity in children and adolescents is associated with numerous immediate health risks, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, sleep disturbances, orthopedic problems, and social and psychological problems, such as discrimination and poor self-esteem.

The objective of this program is to help prevent obesity and promote physical activity and healthy eating.

The most effective strategy to achieve that goal is the implementation of an Evidence-Based Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Program.

More Information

March is National Nutrition Month®

Healthy eating in childhood and adolescence is important for proper growth and development and to prevent many health conditions. National Nutrition Month® is a good time to teach children about healthy eating in school and at home. Check out our new web feature for ways parents and schools can work together to support children in eating healthier. 

BAM! Dining Decision App – Nutrition Mobile Game

The Dining Decisions game is part of the BAM! Body and Mind Classroom Resources for Teachers portal. The portal offers a variety of information and resources for teachers in grades 4 to 8 to use in the classroom to help students make healthier lifestyle choices. Dining Decisions is one tool that teaches children to eat healthy foods and make smart nutritional choices whether at home, school, or on the go. Download the free BAM! Dining Decisions app for kids.

National School Breakfast Week – March 6 - 10

National School Breakfast Week celebrates the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success. This special observance during the first week of March celebrates the national School Breakfast Program and the many ways it gives kids a great start every day. It is a reminder of how critical nutritious school meals are to our future leaders. Learn more about the School Breakfast Program School Breakfast Program.  | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov) 

 

New and Updated: USDA Team Nutrition Discover MyPlate Nutrition Education for Kindergarten

USDA Team Nutrition has updated the Discover MyPlate: Nutrition for Education for Kindergarten resources. Discover MyPlate is fun and inquiry-based nutrition education that fosters the development of healthy food choices and physically active lifestyles during a critical developmental and learning period for children—kindergarten. Team Nutrition has expanded the set to include additional foods, Spanish-language components, and new materials showing where food comes from. Find free resources in English and Spanish.

National Sleep Awareness Week – March 13 - 19

Students who get enough sleep stay focused and improve concentration and academic performance. Schools can add sleep education to the K–12 curriculum to help children and adolescents learn why sleep is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Lessons in sleep patterns and sleep disorders, snoring, drowsy driving, and insomnia are among topics teachers can cover in the classroom to help students develop healthy sleep habits. Learn more at Sleep and Health | Healthy Schools | CDC.

 

National Center for Health Statistics Allergies in Children Report

The National Center for Health Statistics reports that the percentage of children with certain allergic conditions has increased over previous decades. Seasonal allergies, which includes hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and allergic conjunctivitis, cause sneezing, cough, runny nose, and itchy eyes. Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, causes itchy, bumpy rashes and thickened skin that can appear anywhere on the body. Food allergies can cause hives, vomiting, trouble breathing, or throat tightening. The report describes the percentage of children who had diagnosed seasonal allergy, eczema, or food allergy by sex, age, and race and Hispanic origin from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey.