CDC Releases Updated Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

September 20, 2011 – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the updated version of “School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity.”  The new resource combines previous guidelines published in the 1990s and identifies the most effective policies and practices schools can implement to help young people adopt and maintain healthy eating habits and a physically active lifestyle. 

The publication synthesizes research and best practices to promoting healthy eating and physical activity in schools, culminating in nine guidelines.  Some of the resources that were used to inform the guidelines include the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Healthy People 2020 objectives related to healthy eating and physical activity among children and adolescents. 

The guidelines serve as a foundation for developing, implementing, and evaluating school-based healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices for students. Each of the guidelines is accompanied by a set of implementation strategies that can help schools work toward achieving each guideline.  Among the nine guidelines are: 1) use a coordinated approach to develop, implement, and evaluate healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices and 2) partner with families and community members in the development and implementation of healthy eating and physical activity policies, practices, and programs.

To view the publication’s executive summary, click here.