Determinants of Children’s Health Based on Environmental Factors

“States, school districts, and schools can establish strong policies and implement creative interventions to promote healthy eating through the foods and beverages offered at school. Schools can offer psychosocial support for physical activity and healthy eating through school policies, administrative commitment, role modeling by school staff, and the use of cues and incentives.”

An early experience in health allows children to grow up with a better health knowledge and economic participation for the rest of their life. Allowing children to have adequate stimulation and nutrition both in school and at home is essential to the first three years of development of life . During the first three years of development, the brain is most sensitive to influences from the external environment. What children eat at home affects their meal choices at school, so creating an incentive for children to eat healthier and exercise at school is a positive change to health. Children are developing constantly in their younger years, and they “have greater risk of exposure and greater risk of harm compared to adults.” Therefore, it is more important for parents to be aware of the toxins, pesticides, chemicals, and pollutants children may unknowingly come in contact with.




WHO IS THE PROBLEM?

The problems that children encounter with their health are influenced by advertising. Parents and children look at what society says is good and cheap to eat, mostly due to the fact that it is being advertised across the nation. Also, kids are so corrupted with advertisements pushing unhealthy choices that children may conclude that what they see promoted online or on T.V. is the best thing for them to eat. Fast food companies is currently one of the biggest industries in the country. They have advertisements everywhere, and now that kids have so much access to technology, it is a recipe for disaster when it comes to the youth’s health.

EXAMPLE OF ACTIONS IN SCHOOLS: 
Children spend a large part of their time in school, which means schools have a huge potential to influence their ideas and actions, health behaviors included. The public has realized this and efforts to get children to eat better and live healthier lifestyles have been implemented across the nation, such as requiring high school students to take a health class. The biggest effort to get children to be healthier in schools has probably been setting nutritional standards for food available at the school’s cafeteria and in vending machines. The Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010 works at setting minimal nutritional requirements in foods served in schools through the USDA. It also has encouraged different programs to emerge, such as the Farm to School program.

Learning gardens are also an effective and innovative way for children to be involved with nutrition and physical education in schools.  This creates a long life health benefit to develop these habits of growing their own food, getting involved with community and physical exercise.