Benefits, Bonding and Behaviours

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Benefits, Bonding and Behaviours

• Why should my school become a Health Promoting
  School..

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What does a Health Promoting School look like?
home

• The whole school community is working towards a
  positive learning and working environment that
  supports the link between health and education

Student leadership
community
champions
School connectedness
Healthy eating
Physical environment
Embedded in curriculum
Social environment
Evidence-based practice
Physical activity
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How does it work?
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Where is it working?

• School and Provincial
• regional level policy
• activity platforms
• within Alberta across
• Canada
• International examples include
• National Healthy School Status England
• South Australia, a deliberate policy for
  comprehensive school health is coming together

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Why does it work?
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Multifaceted approach

1. Physical activity
2. Healthy eating
3. Mental wellbeing

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1. Physical Activity
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• Physical activity plays an important role in
  facilitating learning and academic performance.

Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on
Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Overview, 2009,
www.activehealthykids.ca
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Why Physical Activity in Schools?

• 87 of Canadian children/youth are NOT meeting
  the recommended 90 minutes of physical activity a
  day

Children and youth spend roughly 40 of their
day in school
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Physical Activity and Academic Achievement

• When the time is taken away from other subjects,
  physical education and physical activity do not
  negatively affect academic achievement but have
  positive effects on learning and academic
  performance

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Physical Activity and Academic Achievement

• Physical fitness and active living have positive
  effects on academic performance, including
• academic readiness
• achievement in math tests
• reading
• perceptual skills

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Physical Activity and Behaviour

• Physical inactivity is associated with emotional
  and behavioural problems in adolescents.
• Physical activity impacts upon numerous mental
  health outcomes including anxiety, depression and
  rule-breaking behaviour.

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Physical Activity Health Benefits
Physical activity is associated with decreased
susceptibility to smoking among youth.
Active living is positively associated with
self-esteem, whereas sedentary behaviour is
negatively associated with self-esteem.
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2. Healthy Eating
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Healthy Eating and Academic Achievement

• An adequate diet that provides a wide variety of
  foods is positively associated with academic
  performance.
• fruit and vegetable intake and intake of
  fat is positively associated with academic
  performance.

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Healthy Eating and Behaviour

• Virtually all behavioural, emotional and
  academic problems are more prevalent in hungry
  children
• Community Childhood Hunger Identification
  Project

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Healthy Eating and Health Benefits

• The socioeconomic benefits of positive
  educational attainment carry a child forth into
  their adult life
• incidence of chronic disease
• incidence of obesity
• There are consistent research findings that show
  that children who are overweight have poorer
  levels of academic achievement

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3. Mental Well-being
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Mental Health defined

• A state of well-being in which the individual
  realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with
  the normal stresses of life, can work
  productively and fruitfully, and is able to make
  a contribution to his or her community.
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Striking a balance in all aspects of your life
  social, physical, spiritual, economic and
  mental.
• Canadian Mental Health Association

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How can schools contribute to positive mental
health?
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School connectedness influences mental health

• Youth who do not have a sense of school belonging
  are more likely to experience emotional distress,
  thoughts of suicide
• and substance use problems.

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School connectedness influences mental health

• Among younger teens, a high level of school
  connectedness is related to fewer depressive
  symptoms over time.

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School Connectedness defined

• the extent to which youth perceive positive
  support or caring from individuals adults in
  their school setting

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School Connectedness defined

• When young people consistently receive empathy,
  attention and praise at school they feel a sense
  of belonging and support that is the spring board
  for healthy growth and development
• Whitlock, 2003

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School Connectedness and Academic Achievement

• A school connected environment increases the
  likelihood of academic success
• Vulnerable youth who feel connected are more
  likely to
• report good or excellent health
• do well in school
• continue with school past grade 12.

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School Connectedness and Behaviour

• School connectedness is an important factor in
  reducing the likelihood that teens will engage in
  health-compromising behaviours
• smoking
• substance abuse
• violence
• high risk sexual behaviours
• suicide

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School Connectedness and Behaviour

• If students feel connected to their school they
  are less likely to skip school or be involved in
  bullying behaviour or vandalism.

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School Connectedness and Health Benefits

• self-esteem, self-confidence and self-image
• in negative risk behaviours
• or prevention of anxiety and depression

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There are lots of reasons for your school to
become a health promoting school!
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Need help to get started?
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Ever Active Schools

• Vision
• Alberta students live, learn and play in healthy,
  active school communities.
• Mission Statement
• Ever Active Schools facilitates the development
  of healthy children and youth by fostering social
  and physical environments that support healthy,
  active school communities.

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How can Ever Active Schools help you become a
Health Promoting School?
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Supports

• Professional Development
• Workshops
• Special Events HASS 09
• Resource Development
• Implementation
• HATS, Action Plans
• Success Stories and Sharing
• Communication
• Website
• EverACTIVE! Newsletter
• Member Updates
• Research
• District implementation model (Battle River
  Project)
• Updates and latest studies

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Support and Expertise

• Education
• tracy_at_everactive.org
• Schools
• joyce_at_everactive.org
• Communication
• shorricks_at_brsd.ab.ca
• Director / Research
• doug_at_everactive.org

• Admin Support
• rhonda_at_everactive.org
• karen_at_everactive.org

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The Journey Continues

• www.everactive.org