US Childhood Obesity and School Nutrition Resources in United States
US Childhood Obesity and School Nutrition Resources
(legislation current to 2007)
Obesity rates continue to rise in the United States. Since 1980, being overweight has doubled for children and tripled for adolescents. With sixteen percent of children and adolescents age 6 to 19 overweight (9 million children), childhood obesity remains a pressing public health concern.
Being overweight puts children and teenagers at greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes, risk factors for heart disease at an earlier age, and other health conditions including asthma, sleep apnea, and psychosocial effects such as decreased self-esteem. In one large study, 61 percent of overweight 5- to10-year-olds already had at least one risk factor for heart disease, and 26% had two or more risk factors for the disease. By adulthood, obesity-associated chronic diseases – heart disease, some cancers, stroke, diabetes – are the first, second, third, and sixth leading U.S. causes of death.
Moreover, obesity is costly to states. Annual obesity-attributable U. S. medical expenses were estimated at $75 billion for 2003. Taxpayers fund about half of this through Medicare and Medicaid. Fortunately, healthy eating and a physically active lifestyle can help children and adults achieve and maintain a healthy weight and reduce obesity-related chronic diseases.
In 2005, legislatures have been very active in considering policy options to address the obesity epidemic. Aiming to start early to prevent the onset of chronic conditions, legislators are considering a variety of policy approaches to facilitate opportunities for a healthier diet and more exercise beginning in childhood.
This chart provides an overview of the more prevalent legislative approaches considered or enacted in 2005. Information on a variety of other policy approaches considered in 2005 follows below the 50-state chart.
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State Legislation on Childhood Obesity Policy Options 2005 |
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| State | Nutrition Standards for Schools | NutritionEducation | Body Mass Index (BMI) | PhysicalActivity, Recess, or Physical Education | Nutrition Information on School Menu or Labeling | |
| Alabama | Considered | Considered | ||||
| Alaska | Considered | Considered | Considered | |||
| Arizona | Enacted | Enacted | ||||
| Arkansas | Enacted | Considered repeal | Enacted | |||
| California | Enacted | Enacted | Enacted | Considered | ||
| Colorado | Enacted | Enacted | Enacted | Enacted | ||
| Connecticut | Vetoed | Vetoed | Considered | Vetoed | ||
| Delaware | Enacted | |||||
| Florida | ||||||
| Georgia | Considered | Considered | ||||
| Hawaii | Considered | Considered | ||||
| Idaho | ||||||
| Illinois | Enacted | Enacted | Enacted | Considered | ||
| Indiana | Considered | Considered | ||||
| Iowa | Considered | Considered | Considered | |||
| Kansas | Enacted | Enacted | Enacted | |||
| Kentucky | Enacted | Enacted | Enacted | |||
| Louisiana | Enacted | Enacted | ||||
| Maine | Enacted | Enacted | Considered | Enacted | ||
| Maryland | Enacted | Considered | ||||
| Massachusetts | Considered | Considered | Considered | Considered | ||
| Michigan | Considered | Considered | ||||
| Minnesota | Considered | |||||
| Mississippi | Considered | Considered | ||||
| Missouri | Considered | Considered | Enacted | Enacted | ||
| Montana | Considered | Enacted | ||||
| Nebraska | Considered | Considered | ||||
| Nevada | ||||||
| New Hampshire | Considered | Considered | Enacted | |||
| New Jersey | Considered in Legislature.Implemented by Agriculture Department. | Considered | ||||
| New Mexico | Enacted | Considered | Enacted | |||
| New York | Considered | Considered | Considered | Considered | Considered | |
| North Carolina | Enacted | Considered | Considered | |||
| North Dakota | Considered | |||||
| Ohio | Considered | Considered | Considered | |||
| Oklahoma | Enacted | Considered | Enacted | |||
| Oregon | Considered | Considered | Considered | |||
| Pennsylvania | Considered | Considered | Enacted | |||
| Rhode Island | Enacted | Enacted | ||||
| South Carolina | Enacted | Enacted | Considered | Enacted | ||
| South Dakota | ||||||
| Tennessee | Considered | Enacted | Considered | |||
| Texas | Legislation Enacted.Standards also implemented by Agriculture Department. | Enacted | Considered | Enacted | ||
| Utah | Sent to Lt. Governor | Enacted | ||||
| Vermont | Considered | Considered | Enacted | |||
| Virginia | Considered | Considered | Considered | |||
| Washington | ||||||
| West Virginia | Enacted | Enacted | Enacted | Enacted | Enacted voluntary | |
| Wisconsin | ||||||
| Wyoming | ||||||
| Data Source: National Conference of State Legislatures. | ||||||
| Notes: *CA enacted childhood obesity prevention legislation and 7th and 8th grade diabetes screening, including BMI measurement in 2003. | ||||||
Summary of 2005 School Nutrition Legislation
For the 2005 legislative session, state legislatures in at least 39 states have considered or enacted legislation related to the nutritional quality of school foods and beverages. This includes 20 states in which school nutrition legislation was considered in 2005, 17 states in which such legislation was enacted, 1 state in which a legislative resolution was sent to the lieutenant governor, and 1 state in which such legislation was vetoed.
The 17 states in which school nutrition legislation was enacted in 2005 include Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia. The state in which a resolution was sent to the lieutenant governor was Utah. Texas legislators fine-tuned school nutrition requirements already in place through the state’s Department of Agriculture. New Jersey implemented school nutrition requirements, at the direction of the acting Governor, through its Department of Agriculture. A school nutrition and physical activity bill passed both chambers of the Connecticut legislature but was vetoed by the governor. The content of all legislation that passed both chambers of the legislature is summarized below.
The 20 other state legislatures that considered, but did not enact, school nutrition legislation in 2005 include Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia.
Summaries of School Nutrition Legislation That Passed Both Chambers of Legislature:
| Arizona | AZ HB 2544 (2005) (enacted)Establishes nutritional standards in all school districts for foods and beverages sold or served on school grounds during the normal school day, including portion sizes, minimum nutrient values and a listing of contents; and requires school food and beverages to meet the nutrition standards, including food and beverages sold in vending machines. |
| Arkansas | AR SB 965 (2005) (enacted)Provides for statewide standards for school lunch programs. |
| California | CA SB 965 (2005) (enacted, Chapter 237)Modifies the list of beverages that may be sold to elementary and middle school pupils and restricts the sale of beverages to high school pupils to specified beverages at specified times of day.CA SB 12 (2005) (enacted, Chapter 235)Prohibits the sale of certain specified foods and beverages at all California middle, junior high and high schools commencing July 1, 2007. As of the same date, requires that elementary schools, during the school day, sell only full meals and individually sold portions of nuts, nut butters, seeds, eggs, cheese packaged for individual sale, fruit, vegetables that have not been deep fried and legumes.CA SB 281 (2005) (enacted, Chapter 236)
Establishes the Fresh Start Pilot Program to encourage public schools to provide fruits and vegetables that have not been deep fried to pupils in grades 1 through 12 in order to promote consumption of such foods by school-age children. |
| Colorado | CO SB 81 (2005) (enacted)Recognizes overweight among children and youth as a major public health threat and encourages school district boards of education to adopt policies to improve children’s nutrition by offering healthful foods at school, providing culturally sensitive nutrition education, establishing local school wellness policies in accord with the federal “Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004,” ensuring student access to fresh produce (especially Colorado-grown) and student access to daily physical activity. |
| Connecticut | CT SB1309 (2005) (vetoed)Would have required a daily minimum period of physical activity for students. Would have established committees to monitor and implement nutrition and physical activity policies, to limit the types of beverages available to students, to require the Department of Education to develop and make available to school districts a list of healthy snacks that may be consumed by students, to increase the number of children participating in the school breakfast program and to encourage the use of Connecticut grown products in school meals. |
| Illinois | IL SB 162 (2005) (enacted), Public Act No. 94-199.Among other provisions for school wellness policies, includes nutrition guidelines for food sold on school campuses during the school day. Provides that the Board of Education shall distribute the model wellness policies to all school districts. |
| Kansas | KS SB 154 (2005) (enacted)Requires the state board of education (in consultation with other state agencies, private foundations, and other private entities) to develop nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages available to students in public schools during the school day. Encourages attention to reducing childhood obesity through physical activity, healthful foods, and wellness education when developing the guidelines. Directs local school boards to consider the guidelines when establishing school district wellness policies. |
| Kentucky | KY SB 172 (2005) (enacted), Act No. 84.Requires K-5 school councils or principals to develop and implement a wellness policy that includes vigorous physical activity each day; permits 30 minutes per day or 150 minutes per week of physical activity to be part of the instructional day; requires annual assessment of physical activity and reporting to the legislature. Limits access to retail fast foods in school cafeterias to no more than one day per week. Prohibits serving deep-fried foods in schools, beginning with the 2006-2007 school year. Requires each school to publish a school menu that specifies nutritional information. |
| Louisiana | LA SB 146 (2005) (enacted), Act No. 331.Limits students’ access to certain foods and beverages at school. Encourages daily physical activity at school to develop lifelong enjoyment of physical activity. |
| Maine | ME LD 796, SP 263 (2005) (enacted), Chapter 435.Implements recommendations of Maine’s Commission to Study Public Health concerning schools, children and nutrition. Requires the Bureau of Health to establish nutritional standards for healthy foods and beverages that may be sold on school grounds outside of the school meals program. |
| Maryland | MD SB 473 (2005) (enacted), Chapter 312.Requires all vending machines in public schools to have and use a timing device to automatically prohibit or allow access in accordance with nutrition policies established by local county boards of education by August 1, 2006. Requires health education instruction by each county board of education to include the importance of physical activity. |
| New Mexico | NM HB 61 (2005) (enacted), Chapter 115.Concerns school meal nutrition rules governing foods and beverages sold outside of school meal programs; relates to nutrition standards, portion sizes and times when students may access these items. |
| North Carolina | NC HB 855 (2005) (enacted), Session Law 2005-457.Directs the Board of Education to establish statewide nutrition standards for school meals, a la carte foods and beverages, the After School Snack Program and child nutrition programs of local school districts. |
| Oklahoma | OK SB265 (2005) (enacted), Chapter No. 45.Prohibits student access to foods with minimal nutritional value in elementary schools and in middle and junior high schools (except for diet sodas). Requires high schools to offer certain healthy beverage and snack options. Requires each public school to establish a Healthy and Fit School Advisory Committee of at least 6 members, composed of teachers, administrators, parents of students, health care professionals and business community representatives to study and make recommendations to the school principal regarding health education; physical education and physical activity; and nutrition and health services. |
| Rhode Island | RI HB 5563 (2005) (enacted), Public Law Chapter No. 74; and
RI SB 565 (2005) (enacted), Public Law Chapter No. 79.Both bills require school districts receiving state education aid to include strategies to decrease obesity and to improve health and wellness of students and employees through nutrition, physical activity, health education, and physical education in their strategic plans. Bills also require school committees to establish school health and wellness subcommittees to decrease obesity and promote health and physical education in the schools. Both are effective August 1, 2005. |
| South Carolina | SC HB 3499 (2005) (enacted), Act No. 102.Establishes physical education and nutritional standards in elementary schools. Specifies the amount of time that elementary students must have to eat lunch. Requires a weekly nutrition component as part of the health curriculum. Phases in requirements for the amount of physical education instruction that students in kindergarten through grade five must receive each week and teacher-student ratios for physical education. Implements a coordinated school health program; all contingent on the appropriation of funding. |
| Texas | TX SB 42 (2005) (enacted)Relates to health education, physical activity, and food products in public primary and secondary schools. Requires school health curriculum for grades K-12 to include an emphasis on the importance of proper nutrition and exercise. Prohibits rules that prevent parents or grandparents from providing any food product of the parent’s or grandparent’s choice for birthday celebrations or school-designated functions. Provides for adoption of rules for evaluation of nutritional services program compliance with Texas Department of Agriculture guidelines relating to foods of minimal nutritional value. |
| Utah | UT HJR 11 (2005) (passed legislature, sent to lieutenant governor).Encourages schools to adopt nutrition and physical activity policies. |
| West Virginia | WV HB 2816 (2005) (enacted), Act No. 121.Encourages healthy beverages in schools and adds requirements for health education. Establishes physical activity requirements in public schools using body mass index as an indicator of progress. Includes requirements for student participation in physical education classes to the level of student ability for at least 30 minutes three days a week for kindergarten through grade five; one full period each school day for one semester for grades six through eight; and one full course credit of physical education required for graduation for grades nine through twelve. Creates a Healthy Lifestyles Office in the Department of Health and Human Resources with a special revenue account. Establishes a voluntary private sector partnership program to encourage healthy lifestyles. |
Special note on regulatory action: In Texas, a Public School Nutrition Policy became effective August 1, 2004 under the auspices of the state’s Agriculture Commissioner, who was authorized by the governor to administer the state’s National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and After School Snack Program. New Jersey followed the same route, implementing comprehensive school nutrition standards through its Department of Agriculture under the governor’s direction in 2005, effective for the 2007-2008 school year.
Additional Childhood Obesity Policy Legislation for 2005
Other states, as detailed below, have considered or enacted additional policy approaches to address childhood obesity such as nutrition education or wellness initiatives in schools, body mass index measurement and reporting the information confidentially to parents, providing opportunities for physical activity during the school day, providing information on the nutrition content of school foods, or taxing snack foods with minimal nutritional value.
The listing of bills below is a work in progress and may not be comprehensive, but provides an overview of other policy approaches considered during the 2005 legislative session. Bill numbers are included, allowing for retrieval of the full bills for further information.
The proposed legislation has not become law, unless otherwise noted. This document is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any specific legislation. If you have questions, find errors or omissions; please contact the author as listed below.
Body Mass Index (BMI) Legislation
In 2005, 15 states considered or enacted student body mass index legislation. Enacting states were Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia as summarized below. (Missouri and West Virginia’s BMI legislation was part of more comprehensive bills.) Twelve other states that considered BMI legislation in 2005 were Alaska, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas. In Arkansas, the first state to enact BMI legislation in Act 1220 of 2003, legislation was introduced in 2005 to repeal the state’s requirement for confidential reporting of student BMI information to parents, but it did not pass. California enacted legislation in 2003 (AB 766, Cal. Ed. Code §49452.6) that requires non-invasive screening of 7th grade (female) and 8th grade (male) students for type 2 diabetes risk including measurement of body mass index as one of four diabetes risk factors.
| Missouri | MO HB568T (2005) (enacted)Establishes the Model School Wellness Program funded by Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization federal grant money, administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, to create pilot programs in school districts encouraging students to avoid tobacco use, balance their diets, get regular exercise, and become familiar with chronic conditions resulting from being overweight. Provides for school districts receiving grants to establish programs that address academic success and encourage links between school and home. Requires an evaluation after the 2005-2006 school year that will include changes in body mass index and measurement of changing behaviors related to nutrition, physical activity and tobacco use. |
| Tennessee | TN HB445 (2005) (enacted), Public Chapter 194.Requires reporting student BMI to parents as part of a confidential health report card. Calls for providing parents with basic information about what BMI means and what they can do with this information. Encourages schools where aggregate BMI data suggest high rates of overweight to expand existing, or implement new, school-based nutrition and physical activity programs. |
| West Virginia | WV HB 2816 (2005) (enacted), Act No. 121.Among other provisions, establishes physical activity requirements in public schools using body mass index as an indicator of progress. Includes body mass index measurement in kindergarten screening procedures. For students in grades four through eight and students enrolled in high school physical education, includes body mass index measurement in required fitness testing procedures. Protects student confidentiality and directs that all body mass index data shall be reported in aggregate to the governor, the State Board of Education, the Healthy Lifestyles Coalition and the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resource Accountability. |
Diabetes Screening and Management
Legislation to require non-invasive screening, risk analysis or testing of school children for diabetes was enacted in 2003 in California and Illinois. California enacted legislation to encourage additional diabetes awareness raising in 2005 and Hawaii’s legislature passed and transmitted to the governor legislation permitting medication administration by, and liability protections for, school personnel responding to diabetic students. Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania considered, and Texas enacted, legislation in 2005 to facilitate the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of type 2 diabetes in school children. Illinois passed legislation for programs to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in diabetes. Legislation for 2005, both proposed and enacted, is summarized below.
| California | CA S.C.R. 4 (2005) (enacted), Resolution Chapter No. 32.Encourages a variety of government, community, school, and workplace activities in support of obesity and diabetes awareness and prevention. |
| Hawaii | HI HB 1550 (2005) (passed both chambers of legislature)Authorizes the Department of Education to permit its employees and agents to administer glucagon to diabetic students in an emergency. Establishes that the Department of Education and its personnel are not liable for any injury from the emergency administration of glucagon to students. |
| Illinois | IL HB 615 (2005) (enacted) Public Act No. 94-447Creates the Reduction of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Act including continuing programs to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in diabetes. |
| Massachusetts | MA SB 108 (2005)Concerns diabetes screening for school-aged children. |
| Missouri | MO HB 81 (2005)Would have established a coordinated health program board to prevent student obesity, cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. |
| New Jersey | NJ SB 1306 (2004-2005)Would require training in diabetes care for specified school employees and use of medical management plans in school for students with diabetes. |
| Pennsylvania | PA HB 256 (2005)Would have instituted school screening for diabetes by a school nurse, medical technician or teacher by examining risk factors that include obesity.PA HB 2344 (2005)Would require that school children be tested for diabetes prior to admission. |
| Texas | TX HB 984 (2005) (enacted), Chapter No. 1022.Concerns care of elementary and secondary school students with diabetes. Provides for unlicensed diabetes care assistants as school employees when they complete required training and for individualized health plan with the agreement of parent or guardian. |
Insurance Coverage for Obesity Prevention and Treatment
Legislation to provide or strengthen private insurance coverage for obesity prevention or treatment, especially for the morbidly obese (those with a body mass index of 40 or higher) was considered in 2005 in a number of states, without specific reference to childhood obesity treatment. States considering legislation in 2005 included California, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia. Maryland currently requires insurers to cover morbid obesity treatment including surgery, while Georgia, Indiana and Virginia require private insurers to offer general coverage for morbid obesity as an option. As of July 2004, Medicare began to recognize obesity as a medical problem, opening the door to greater coverage for obesity treatments demonstrated as scientifically effective.
Nutrition Content Information for School Foods
Providing nutrition content information for foods on school menus or all foods and beverages served in schools to enable students and parents to make healthy choices was considered in 2005 in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York and enacted as part of broader obesity initiatives in Colorado, Maine and West Virginia. Legislation is summarized below. This listing does not include legislation to require nutrition labeling or menu information for food and drink items in all chain restaurants or retail food establishments, also considered in many states.
| California | CA AB 569 (2005)Would require school districts that contract with commercial food vendors for school foods to provide nutritional content for all foods sold. Would require commercial food vendors to display a standard label with nutritional information on prepackaged and prepared items in accord with the federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990. |
| Colorado | CO SB 81 (2005)(enacted)Includes requirements for student and parent access to information on nutritional content of school foods through the school website, on school menus sent home with students, or by posting the information in a visible place at each school. |
| Illinois | IL HB 250 (2005)Strongly encourages school boards that complete nutritional analysis of menu plans as part of the State review process, provide meals under a nutrient-based menu plan, or utilize software that calculates the nutritional content of foods, to publish the school lunch menu with nutrition content. |
| Kentucky | KY SB 172 (2005) (enacted), Act No. 84.Among other school nutrition and physical activity provisions, requires each school to publish a school menu that specifies nutritional information and requires each school to limit access to retail fast foods in the cafeteria to no more than one day each week. Prohibits serving deep-fried foods in schools, beginning with the 2006-2007 school year. |
| Maine | ME LD 796, SP 263 (2005) (enacted), Chapter 435.Implements recommendations of Maine’s Commission to Study Public Health concerning schools, children and nutrition. Requires that after August 1, 2008, food service programs must post caloric information for prepackaged a la carte food items at the point of decision. |
| Massachusetts | MA HB 1019 (2005)Would compile a listing of the amount of carbohydrates contained in foods served in schools. |
| New York | NY AB 8094 (2005)Permits only products containing 100 percent milk to use the term milk on labels and advertisements. |
| West Virginia | WV HB 2816 (2005) enacted, Act No. 121.As part of a comprehensive bill creating a Healthy Lifestyles Office in the Department of Education and the Arts, establishes a voluntary menu labeling program. |
Nutrition Education
Many states have school health education requirements, but in recent years legislators have considered or enacted bills specifically requiring nutrition education aimed at preventing childhood obesity as a component of school health curriculum. California, Indiana, Louisiana, New Hampshire and Vermont currently have laws requiring some form of nutrition education. States that considered or enacted legislation in 2005 include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia, as summarized below.
| California | CA AB 689 (2005) (enacted)Notes that existing law requires the state’s Department of Education to incorporate nutrition education curriculum content into the health curriculum framework, with a focus on pupils’ eating behaviors. Requires the adoption of content standards for the health curriculum on or before March 1, 2008, contingent upon funding. |
| Colorado | CO SB 81 (2005) (enacted)Encourages the inclusion of goals for nutrition education in local wellness policies to be adopted by each school district participating in accord with the federal Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. |
| Connecticut | CT SB 1174 (2005)Would have required each local and regional board of education to establish a School Wellness Committee to monitor and implement school nutrition and physical activity policies pursuant to the federal Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, including recommendations for a nutrition education curriculum. |
| Hawaii | HI HB 377 and HI SB 493 (2005, carried over to 2006)Both bills would require the state’s department of education to encourage schools to provide culturally appropriate nutrition education and farm-to-table education programs. |
| Illinois | IL HB 210 (2005) (enacted), Public Act 094-124)Directs the Illinois Early Learning Council, which coordinates existing programs and services for children from birth to age five, to expand upon existing early childhood programs and services, including those related to nutrition, nutrition education, and physical activity, in coordination with the Interagency Nutrition Council.IL SB 1680 (2005)(passed both chambers of legislature)Requires the Department of Human Services, in cooperation with the Department of Public Health, to develop materials and resources on nutritional health for new TANF, Food Stamp, and early intervention program enrollees. Requires the Department of Public Health to develop a video presentation on nutritional health.IL HB 1539 (2005)
Would have included, as part of the design of the Comprehensive Health Education Program, learning experiences to aid students in making wise personal decisions in matters of nutrition. Would have required the State Board of Education to develop and make available, through Internet website resources, instructional materials and guidelines concerning nutrition and wellness to all schools. |
| Kansas | KS SB 154 (2005) (enacted)Requires wellness education with the goal of preventing and reducing childhood obesity. |
| Maine | ME LD 796, SP 263 (2005) (enacted), Chapter 435Requires schools to provide nutrition education for students, teachers, staff and through the coordinated school health program, and a parent nutrition education outreach component, as part of a more comprehensive measure. |
| Massachusetts | MA HB 1460 (2005)Would have resolved that public schools should educate children on the nutritional value of good food choices.MA SB 85 (2005)Would have required all public school students from grades one through nine to attend a weekly class of at least 45 minutes on nutrition education and physical fitness guidelines. |
| Minnesota | MN SB 2267, MN HB 1323 (2005)Both are omnibus bills that would have provided for kindergarten through grade 12 education and early childhood and family education including nutrition education. |
| Missouri | MO HB 82 (2005)Would have established the Missouri Commission on the Prevention and Management of Obesity and allowed the state’s department of health and senior services to provide technical assistance to schools to create healthy school nutrition environments including classroom nutrition education, supported in the dining room and with positive messages throughout the school to help students develop healthy eating and physical activity habits. |
| New Mexico | NM HB 721, SB 525 (2005)Both bills would have created a Nutrition Council and require nutrition and health courses in public schools. |
| New Hampshire | NH SB 277 (2005)Would have required the state board of education to prepare and distribute a nutrition education curriculum to be integrated into regular instruction for grades one through 12. |
| New York | NY SB 8696, AB 6900 (2005)Both bills would have required instruction on nutrition for students. |
| Ohio | OH HB 173 (2005)Would have established a School Physical Fitness and Wellness Advisory Council and included among its duties the development of guidelines for best practices on nutrition education, physical activity for students and school-business partnerships to promote student wellness. |
| Oklahoma | OK SB 346 (2005)Would direct the State Department of Education to disseminate information and strongly encourage school districts to provide physical education and nutrition instruction. |
| Pennsylvania | PA HB 191 (2005)Would have established a child health and nutrition advisory committee to address wellness policies and practices related to physical education, physical activity, and nutrition and health education in schools. |
| South Carolina | SC HB 3499 (2005) (enacted), Act. No. 102.Among other provisions of a comprehensive bill that establishes physical education and nutritional standards in elementary schools, requires a weekly nutrition component as part of the health curriculum; all contingent on the appropriation of funding. |
| Texas | TX SB 42 (2005) (enacted)Requires school health curriculum for grades K-12 to include an emphasis on the importance of proper nutrition and exercise. |
| Vermont | VT HB 456 (2005)Would have directed the commissioner of education to award small grants to schools using Vermont products in food services and provide nutrition education to students. |
| Virginia | VA SB 747 (2005)Would have required school division superintendents to complete instruction about the causes and consequences of overweight and obesity. |
| West Virginia | WV HB 2816 (2005) (enacted), Act. No. 121.Among other provisions, requires health education to include the importance of healthy eating and physical activity to maintaining healthy weight. |
Physical Activity or Physical Education in Schools
Forty-eight states continue to require physical education in schools, but the scope of the requirement varies. In 2005, at least 39 states considered legislation related to physical activity or physical education in schools and at least 21 of those states enacted legislation or passed resolutions including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia. States have focused on refining or increasing physical education requirements or encouraging positive physical activity programs for students during and after the school day. Both the cost of physical education programs and an emphasis on academics have sometimes been considered barriers to increasing physical education in schools. Recognition is growing that physical activity during the school day may increase student achievement. Legislation that passed both chambers of the legislature in 2005 is summarized below.
| Arizona | AZ HB 2111 (2005) (enacted), Chapter 67.Establishes a mandatory physical education implementation task force charged with developing an implementation plan that will result in a uniform physical education program in kindergarten through grade eight. |
| Arkansas | AR SB 2 (2005) (enacted), Act 660.Provides for physical education course credit for participation in high school sports. |
| California | CA AB 689 (2005) (enacted)Requires the development of health education content standards that incorporate nutrition and physical activity concepts including lifelong enjoyment of physical activities and sequential physical education curriculum, pending funding. |
| Colorado | CO SB 81 (2005)(enacted)Recognizes overweight among children and youth as a major public health threat and encourages school district boards of education to adopt policies to improve children’s nutrition by offering healthful foods at school, providing culturally sensitive nutrition education, establishing local school wellness policies in accord with the federal “Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004”, ensuring student access to fresh produce (especially Colorado-grown) and student access to daily physical activity. |
| Connecticut | CT SB 1309 (2005)(vetoed)As part of a more comprehensive bill, would have required a daily minimum period of physical activity for students. Would have established committees to monitor and implement nutrition and physical activity policies. |
| Delaware | DE HCR 37 (2005) (passed)Resolution establishes a Physical Activity and Education Task Force to study how other states are implementing and funding physical education and physical activity programs in their schools and to report and make recommendations to improve or create high quality physical education and physical activity programs in Delaware schools, including models for public-private partnerships. A final task force report to the governor and legislature is required by March 1, 2006. |
| Illinois | IL HB 1540 (2005) (enacted), Public Act 094-189Requires physical education to provide students with an appropriate amount of daily physical activity and to include a developmentally planned and sequential curriculum that fosters development of movement skills, health-related fitness, offers opportunities for students to learn how to work cooperatively and encourages healthy habits and attitudes for a healthy lifestyle. Requires physical education as part of the regular school curriculum and not as an extracurricular activity. |
| Kansas | KS SB 154 (2005)(enacted)Among other provisions, encourages attention to reducing childhood obesity through physical activity, healthful foods, and wellness education. |
| Kentucky | KY SB 172 (2005) (enacted), Act No. 84.Requires K-5 school councils or principals to develop and implement a wellness policy that includes vigorous physical activity each day; permits 30 minutes per day or 150 minutes per week of physical activity to be considered part of the instructional day; requires annual assessment of pupil physical activity and reporting to the legislature. |
| Louisiana | LA SB 146 (2005) (enacted), Act No. 331.Limits students’ access to certain foods and beverages at school. Encourages daily physical activity at school to develop lifelong enjoyment of physical activity. |
| Missouri | MO HCR 25 (2005) (House passed)Resolution supports school policies to increase physical education requirements for kindergarten through grade 12 to ensure daily physical education for kindergarten through grade 8 and increase high school physical education requirements to a minimum of two credits. Directs distribution of a copy of the resolution to the Director of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and to every school district in Missouri. |
| Montana | MT HJR 17 (2005) (enacted)Resolution encourages local schools to provide greater opportunities for student participation in physical activities and sports programs in order to respond to children and adolescents who are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight, including 18 percent of Montana high school students. |
| New Hampshire | NH HB 151 (2005) (passed House)Requires school districts to develop a school age nutrition and physical activity advisory committee to develop school district policy on nutrition and physical activity during the school day, addressing food quality choices, availability of fruits and vegetables, and promoting physical activity during the school day and motivation and knowledge to be physically active for life. |
| New Mexico | NM SJM 2 (2005) (passed)Requests the departments of health and public education to make collaborative recommendations to increase physical activity and improve the eating habits of youth. |
| Oklahoma | SB 312 (2005) (enacted)Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, requires public elementary schools, as a condition of accreditation, to provide physical education or exercise programs for students in full day kindergarten and grade one through five for a minimum average of 60 minutes weekly.SB 265 (2005) (enacted)Requires public school principals to give consideration to recommendations of each school’s Healthy and Fit School Advisory Committee regarding physical education and physical activity. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules for monitoring compliance with this section for school accreditation purposes. |
| Pennsylvania | HR 57 (2005) (enacted)Resolution observing May 1-7, 2005 as National Physical Education and Sports Week in Pennsylvania. |
| Rhode Island | S 565 (2005) (enacted)Requires school committees to establish school health and wellness subcommittees to promote health and physical education in the schools. |
| South Carolina | SC HB 3499 (enacted), Act. No. 102.Establishes physical education and nutritional standards in elementary schools. Phases in weekly requirements for the amount of physical education instruction that students in kindergarten through grade five must receive. Implements a coordinated school health program; all contingent on the appropriation of funding. |
| Texas | TX SB 42 (2005) (enacted)Encourages school districts to promote physical activity for children through classroom curricula for health and physical education. Allows for the State Board of Education by rule to require students in kindergarten to grade nine to participate in up to 30 minutes of daily physical activity as part of a school district’s physical education curriculum, through structured activity or during a school’s daily recess. Provides for consultation with educators, parents, and medical professionals to develop physical activity requirements. |
| Utah | HJR 11 (2005) (enacted)Resolution encourages schools to adopt nutrition and physical activity policies. |
| Virginia | SB 1130 (2005) (enacted), Act 350.Requires physical education to be taught in the elementary grades of every public school including activities such as, but not limited to, cardiovascular, muscle building or stretching exercises, as appropriate. |
| West Virginia | WV HB 2816 (2005) (enacted), Act No. 121.Among other provisions, establishes physical activity requirements in public schools using body mass index as an indicator of progress. For students in grades four through eight and students enrolled in high school physical education, includes body mass index measurement in required fitness testing procedures. |
School Wellness Policies
The federal Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Public Law 108 – 265) requires each local school district participating in the National School Lunch and/or Breakfast Program to establish a local wellness policy by the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year. School districts must involve a broad group of stakeholders in developing wellness policies and set goals for nutrition education, physical activity, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. A plan for measuring policy implementation must be included. Statewide legislation for wellness policies was considered or enacted in 2005 independently or in response to the federal requirement and in California, Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Rhode Island and Tennessee as summarized below. Additional information about federal wellness policy requirements can be found on the U.S. Department of Agriculture web site at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/wellnesspolicy.html
| California | CA SB 567 (2005)Requires local school districts that participate in federal school lunch programs to establish and implement a local school wellness policy, including a plan for measuring and ensuring compliance of each school with the wellness policy. |
| Colorado | CO SB 81 (2005) (enacted)Among other provisions of a comprehensive children’s nutrition bill, encourages local school wellness policies in accord with the federal “Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.” |
| Illinois | IL HB 733, SB 162 (2005) (enacted) Public Act No. 94-199Both bills require the State Board of Education to establish a State goal that all school districts have a wellness policy that is consistent with recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Requires the Department of Public Health and the State Board to form an interagency working group to publish model wellness policies. Creates the School Wellness Policy Taskforce to identify barriers to implementing wellness policies and recommend how to reduce those barriers. |
| Missouri | MO HB568T (2005) (enacted)
Establishes the Model School Wellness Program funded by Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization federal grant money, administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, to create pilot programs in school districts encouraging students to avoid tobacco use, balance their diets, get regular exercise, and become familiar with chronic conditions resulting from being overweight. Provides for school districts receiving grants to establish programs that address academic success and encourage links between school and home. Requires an evaluation after the 2005-2006 school year that will include changes in body mass index and measurement of changing behaviors related to nutrition, physical activity and tobacco use. |
| Ohio | OH HB 173 (2005)Would establish the School Physical Fitness and Wellness Advisory Council. |
| Rhode Island | RI HB 5563 (2005) (enacted), Public Law Chapter No. 74; and
RI SB 565 (2005) (enacted), Public Law Chapter No. 79.Both bills require school districts receiving state education aid to include strategies to decrease obesity and to improve health and wellness of students and employees through nutrition, physical activity, health education, and physical education in their strategic plans. Bills also require school committees to establish school health and wellness subcommittees to decrease obesity and promote health and physical education in the schools. Both are effective August 1, 2005. |
| Tennessee | TN HB 2055, TN S.B. 2038 (2005)Both bills would enact the Child Nutrition and Wellness Act of 2005 to educate the public about child nutrition and wellness and to advocate improvement in child nutrition and wellness. |
Task Forces, Commissions, or Studies
States with legislative proposals to create childhood obesity task forces, commissions or studies in 2005 included Kansas, New Mexico, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia as described below. Tennessee, by resolution, created a joint legislative committee on school health and child nutrition.
| Kansas | KS HB 2208 (2005)Would have established a task force on the prevention and treatment of obesity. |
| New Mexico | NM SJM 2 (2005)Requested the Departments of Health and Public Education to study and make recommendations on ways to increase the physical activity and improve the eating habits of youth. |
| North Carolina | NC SB 637 (2005)Would have appropriated funds to the board of Governors of the University of North Carolina to fund the obesity research and prevention initiative. |
| Tennessee | TN SJR 38 (2005) (enacted)Resolution creates a special legislative joint committee to study full and expanded implementation of the Coordinated School Health Improvement Act of 1999 and compliance with the reauthorized federal Child Nutrition Act in Tennessee. |
| Virginia | VA HJR 589 (2004-2005)Would have established a joint subcommittee to study the relationship between obesity and the school lunch program. |
| West Virginia | WV HCR 28 (2005)Requested the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to direct the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability to continue to study the obesity epidemic in West Virginia by continuing to monitor ongoing state activities to curtail obesity. |
Raising Awareness
Efforts to raise public awareness of childhood obesity and its impact and to respond to the problem with wellness, nutrition, and physical activity initiatives include the bills listed below for 2005.
| California | CA SCR 4, 2005 (enacted)A legislative resolution encourages leadership for increased physical activity and improved nutrition and wellness in all branches and levels of government, local action by communities, initiatives by schools and workplaces, increased recreation and physical activity that is accessible for all Californians, expanded healthy food options in restaurants, markets, and homes, and increased emphasis on health education and prevention of obesity and diabetes. |
| Delaware | DE HB 220, (2005) (enacted), Chapter No. 151Establishes a Delaware State Income Tax deduction to be credited to the Delaware Juvenile Diabetes Fund through the Delaware Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. |
| Illinois | IL HB 1541 (2005) (enacted), Public Act No. 94-190.Creates a school health recognition program to publicly identify schools that have implemented programs to increase physical activity and healthy nutritional choices for their students. Allows recognized schools to share best practices throughout the state.IL HB 1581(2005) (enacted), Public Act No. 94-107.Creates a Diabetes Research Checkoff Fund from an income tax checkoff and requires the Department of Human Services to make grants from the fund for diabetes research, including a certain percentage of grants for juvenile diabetes research. |
| Maryland | MD HJ5 and MD SJ1 (2005)Recognizes obesity as an increasing health concern and cause of rising medical costs in Maryland and would declare November as Obesity Awareness Month. |
| Pennsylvania | HR 57 (2005) (passed)Resolution observing May 1-7, 2005 as National Physical Education and Sports Week in Pennsylvania. |
Taxes on Foods and Beverages with Minimal Nutritional Value
A few states considered taxing foods and beverages with minimal nutritional value and directing the revenues to school facilities or childhood obesity prevention. Those included Nebraska and Texas, with bill summaries below.
| Nebraska | NE LB 628 (2005)Would impose a sales tax on snack foods to create a fund for school facilities. |
| Texas | TX HB 3283 (2005)Would impose state sales tax on items listed as a “sweet” or “snack” in the release of the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference by the United States Department of Agriculture and use revenues to fund childhood obesity prevention programs. |