What role do school leaders play in addressing childhood obesity?

While addressing childhood obesity requires effort from many different stakeholder groups—government, industry, families and the community— the involvement of schools is essential. School leaders in particular play a key role in supporting policies and practices that provide better opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity.

In fact, the importance of the role of policy is just now beginning to be fully understood. A growing body of research indicates that changes to current public policies, as well as the built and food environments in which children live, learn, and play are some of the most important factors associated with obesity.

Examples of strategies that school leaders, such as school board members and superintendents, can take to address childhood obesity include:

1) Review current policies and develop new policies pertaining to healthy eating and physical activity (click here to view a detailed list of policy topics).

2) Allocate funding in district budgets and secure other resources to support policies and practices.

3) Collaborate with a variety of stakeholders, including state school boards associations, other state and local policymakers, state education agencies, local government agencies such as departments of health, parents, students, businesses, hospitals, local law enforcement and community organizations.