Schools are for education but they also have an unique opportunity to help kids get the nutrition they need and to encourage healthy choices. Yet around the world, poor policy and corporate pressures that put profit above children’s wellbeing make it hard for schools to be the healthy environments they should be.
COVID-19 had brought these issues to the forefront: with schools closed, not only has education been disrupted, for many children ‘the meal at the school is the only meal of the day’. More time at home can also mean increased snacking, less exercise and as we heard on the last episode, more exposure to advertising of junk food. These are just a few components that can interact with other genetic, physiological, and environmental factors to contribute to obesity risk.
In this episode we explore how with young people at the helm, schools can become champions for their student's health. We'll also learn about the important role culture (did you know that rice can cry?!) and family life (we love grandmothers really!) play, potentially undermining the impact of school-based interventions when done without comprehensive community engagement.
The episode is co-hosted by Faith Newsome, student researcher and founder of OCEANS Support and Advocacy Group and Claudia Batz, policy coordinator at World Obesity.
GUESTS
USEFUL LINKS
Learn more about people first language in this great summary by the Obesity Action Coalition.
World Obesity’s Policy Dossier
My Healthy Caribbean School
The double burden of malnutrition
Thanks to Marina Poole for production and editing. The artwork for the series was designed by multi-talented woman in global health Lilly Khorsand.