The Nation's children are facing a health crisis. Few are meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans; many are flunking healthy eating and are physically inactive. The consequences are troubling. In the last 20 years, the percentage of young children who are overweight has more than doubled and among adolescents, it has tripled. Childhood obesity is recognized as a national epidemic, resulting in earlier onset and increased prevalence of disease.

Schools are a key setting for healthy nutrition and physical activity strategies. USDA has established nutrition standards for its school meals programs and, through Team Nutrition, is now working to help schools and school districts increase physical activity and nutrition education in schools.

HealthierUS School Challenge

USDA knows that many schools have already made changes to their school nutrition environments, improved the quality of the foods served, and now provide students with more nutritious, healthy choices. To recognize these schools and to encourage other schools to achieve such results, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has established the HealthierUS School Challenge. Healthier US Schools can be certified as either Silver or Gold Schools. This is a voluntary certification process and the certification standards were established specifically for the Challenge.

Local Wellness Policy

To further address growing concerns about childhood obesity, Congress now requires each local education agency that participates in USDA's school meals programs to establish a local wellness policy by the beginning of School Year 2006-2007. To assist schools and school districts in meeting this requirement, Team Nutrition has compiled some existing resources on developing and implementing a Local Wellness Policy that promotes healthy eating and physical activity.

Healthy School Nutrition Environment

Team Nutrition has developed resources to help foster Healthy School Nutrition Environments. Changing the Scene – Improving the School Nutrition Environment can be used at state and local levels to education decisionmakers about the role school environments play in helping students meet the Dietary Guidelines. Making it Happen! School Nutrition Success Stories includes stories from 32 schools and school districts that have improved the nutritional quality of foods and beverages offered and sold on school campuses, outside the school meals programs.