As the winds of time have quickly changed the landscapes of schools, I would like for you all to think back to a simpler time, the year 1985. It is the first day of a school and the smell of newly sharpened pencils mixed with freshly waxed floors fill the air. As students arrive, children are laughing as they walk, ride their bikes or the bus eager with the anticipation of the first day of school. In the time of 1985, neighborhood schools were just as prevalent as the corner grocery store.

Fast forward to 2005, and think about how students now arrive at school. Bike racks no longer have a presence on the playground, playground equipment is at a minimum, and there are the lines of vehicles waiting to drop children off as close to the door as possible. It is no wonder why the changing of the times has also exhibited a change in the physical size and general health of our children.

In this edition of Extension Link, consider the research and new curriculum focused on children's health. Together, we can make a difference! Best wishes for a fit and healthy school year!

The trends are alarming:

• Nearly one in three children are overweight or at risk for becoming overweight.
• Being overweight is now the most common health problem facing U.S. children
• 21%-25% of obese children and adolescents have the first signs of Type II diabetes.
• There is substantial evidence that obesity in childhood lays the groundwork for adult cardiovascular disease.
• Overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese as adults, with a greater risk of chronic disease.

Most children are flunking health:

• Four out of five children do not consume the minimum recommended amount of five fruits and vegetables daily.
• Two out of three children consume more than the recommended amount of fat.
• Teenagers drink twice as much carbonated soda as milk; 4 out of 5 children are not consuming enough calcium for bone health.
• Nearly half of adolescents do not engage in vigorous physical activity on a regular basis.

What about Illinois?

• Illinois is one of 22 states with the highest rate of adult obesity.
• One in four Illinois high school students are overweight or at risk for becoming overweight. In Chicago public schools, one in three are verweight or at risk for becoming overweight.
• Three out of four Illinois high school students eat less than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
• Nearly four out of five drink less than the recommended 3 servings of milk a day.
• 29% of Illinois high school students do not attend daily fitness instructions
• Only one in five high school students exercise 20 minutes or more during an average physical education class.

Statistics compiled by the Illinois Nutrition Education & Training program.

One size does not fit all, especially when speaking of nutrition. In the spring of 2005, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled the updated dietary guidelines called Steps to a Healthier You. The MyPyramid Plan can help you select foods and the serving sizes that are best for you based on your age, sex, and activity levels.

Follow these key points for understanding the new dietary guidelines:

• Make half your grains whole. Eat at least 3 servings of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, pasta, or brown rice every day.
• Vary your veggies. Eat more dark green and orange vegetables and legumes (dried beans, peas, and lentils).
• Focus on fruits. Eat a variety of fruits-fresh, frozen, canned, or dried-rather than fruit juice for most of your fruit choices.
• Know the limits on fats, salt, and sugars. Read the Nutrition Facts label on food packages. Choose and prepare foods low in total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, salt, and sugar.
• Get your calcium rich foods. Dairy products are your best source of calcium. Milk products are your best source of calcium for bone development and maintenance.
• Go lean with protein! Choose lean meats and poultry. Vary your protein choices by eating more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.
• Maintain a healthy weight and engage in physical activity. To promote good health, mental well-being, and a healthy body weight you need to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week.

Frances Berg, author of Children and Teens Afraid to Eat offers these suggestions for parents and adults who work with children.

· Be active with your children. Have fun in a variety of ways.

· Promote communication and sharing of feelings.

· Teach positive self-talk. Praise and support each other.

· Promote self-acceptance, self-respect, respect for others and appreciation of diversity.

· Promote normal eating. Avoid dieting.

· Eat family meals together at least once each day, if possible, and with the television off.

· Be a good role model of normal, healthy eating, and lifestyle.

· Avoid focusing on weight or shape, or talking about it in a negative way- every body is a good body.

· Help children develop interests and skills that lead to success, pleasure and fulfillment apart from appearance.

· Encourage friendships with caring neighbors and other adults.

We have all been bombarded by the media and society for the importance of physical activity. We hear it, but how many of us actually do it? It is difficult to attempt to try to squeeze one more thing in a school day, but what if that one more thing improved the attentiveness and productivity of youth and adults?

Items needed for this activity:

• 1 piece of "Laffy Taffy" for each student
• 1 copy of the Get Up and Move! Stretching Chart for each member available at http://www.4-h.uiuc.edu/opps/move/

Step 1: Information to share with students (3 minutes)

Before starting an exercise program, it is important that you have your body prepared. Who can tell us why it is important to be physically active? (Possible responses: reduce obesity, create strong bones, enjoy better health, and live longer)

To be physically active you need to keep your body strong. How do you keep your body strong? (Possible responses: exercise, drink water, and eat healthy food).

Today, we are going to start by learning the importance of stretching your muscles to keep your body flexible.

Step 2: Demonstration or Short Group Activity (2 minutes)

I'm giving each of you a cold piece of taffy. Now I want you to try to stretch it for 5 seconds. It is pretty hard isn't it? Now I want you to hold the taffy in your hand for about 1 minute. I'll tell you when to stop.

Now try to stretch the taffy. It is much easier isn't it! That is because the taffy has warmed up.

Your muscles work in much the same way. They stretch better when they are warm. Warming up your muscles makes them more flexible and better able to stretch when you do activities and this reduces injury. We want all of you to do a few stretching activities before you begin your "physical activities." Stretching activities are part of the Move It! Pyramid.

Step 3: Group Activity (10 minutes)

Here are some simple stretching techniques that you can try:

Each of these stretching activities will increase your flexibility. All of you should face me, leaving space between you and the next person. You should be at least an arms length apart. I'll demonstrate how to stretch your muscles safely.

We are going to learn 12 different positions or stretches. Each movement is coordinated with your breathing. When you do these stretches go slowly and listen to your body. It knows what it can do. So...focus on yourself, not on your neighbor. This is NOT a competitive activity. You are not racing anyone. You are preparing your muscles to "stretch" life warm taffy.

Follow along as I do each position and you can follow along at your own pace. Remember to breathe while you are doing each movement. You can also use the Get Up and Move! Stretching Chart as a guide to know when to move and when to breathe.

Now that you have tried each movement, we are going to do all 12 movements together and hold each position for 5 seconds.

Great job. When you go home tonight, teach someone else one of the stretching movements you have learned and then "Get Up and Move!"

http://www.4-h.uiuc.edu/opps/move/ Get Up & Move! Is a new resource that is a series of monthly activities for youth and adults to engage in physical activity and nutrition education.

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/foodforthought/index.html Food for Thought contains a listing of fact sheets available for parents of preschoolers about a variety of current nutrition and wellness topics. Fact sheets are also available in Spanish.

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/hsnut/index.html Written and designed for today's young athlete, these easy-to-use nutrition guides work well in classrooms and after-school programs to help youth give their best performance on and off the playing field.

http://extension.missouri.edu/nutriteach This site contains an abundant listing of resources to help teach nutrition and wellness as well as curriculum. Educators can use the curriculum and teaching strategies found here to help prepare to teach nutrition.

http://www.mypyramid.gov Create a personal plan to help you choose foods and amounts that are right for you. The Related Links section contains a vast array of web resources related to health and nutrition. Graphics, charts, and handouts are also available for professionals and for use in classroom instruction.

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/pubs/bibs/topics/weight/childhoodobesity.html Collection of resources on the topic of childhood obesity for educators and researchers. It is comprised of articles from professional journals (published 2000 to present), information available on the World Wide Web, consumer educational materials and contact information of related organizations.