Running Head: PROGRAM DESIGN

Childhood Obesity: Risk Factors & Implications

Literature Review
Red Jaguars Group- Watkins Holt, Jasmine Nixon, Tyrell Jones, Christina Greschak and Sheena
Parker
Elizabeth City State University
HLTH373
April 5, 2016

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Childhood obesity is now being described as an epidemic which appears to be an

accurate portrayal. The numbers of overweight and obese children in the Unites States is
increasing at alarming rates which medical and science professionals work to identify causes,
risk factors, and protective factors to combat the epidemic. According to recent statistics
published by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 37.2% of adolescents ages
6-11 years old are overweight or at risk of being overweight (Judge & Jahns, 2007). Recent
research has identified links between obesity and poor academic performance as well as social
and behavioral problems. The links have been identified in an effort to develop programs,
instructional solutions, and community practices that will create of network of supports to
combat the growing epidemic.
In the article, Association of Overweight with Academic Performance and Social and
Behavioral Problems: An update from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, the authors
conducted a study to identify and report on the relationship between childhood obesity and
educational outcomes. The study consisted of a sample of 13,680 third grade children who were
selected based on valid data provided by a body mass index (BMI) assessment. The study
participants were given a math and reading assessment in 2 stages. The assessment tested basic
skills such as computing, number sense, properties, passage comprehension, word decoding, and
phonological awareness. The second portion of the study included a Teacher Social Rating Scale
which was provided to each teacher. The questionnaire addressed 5 major social skills areas
including approaches to learning, self-control, interpersonal skills, externalizing problem
behaviors, and internalizing problem behavior (Judge & Jahns, 2007). The data was assessed
and the results provided implications for discussion. The finding noted that being overweight

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does have significant effects on social and behavioral outcomes among girls but the relationship
was not significant enough to note among boys (Judge & Jahns, 2007).
In contrast, the academic assessment concluded that there is a statistically significant
association between being overweight and academic achievements; the students who were
identified as overweight (having a BMI at or above the 97th percentile for their age) scored
significantly lower on all standardized test that their non-overweight peers (Judge & Jahns,
2007). However, this was not the most alarming implication; the study results were analyzed
with a control factor and yielded different results. When the researchers controlled that
socioeconomic status, maternal education, and ethnicity differences, the association between
overweight and scores was no longer statistically significant. Judge & Jahns, 2007 indicated that
the effects of socioeconomic status, mothers education, and race/ ethnicity had a more
significant bearing and eluded to a stronger association than being overweight. These disparities
allude to the need for community development program that assist parents and families with
access to resources as well as a comprehensive school physical education program.
The Journal of School Health (2005) published an article entitled Obesity and Student
Performance at School. The researchers analyzed relevant longitudinal and cross- sectional
studies related to childhood obesity. The researchers analyzed the association between obesity
among school aged- children and the connections to academic outcomes. The results of the
studies were consistent with other data. Similar to the previously discussed article, the
researchers controlled for effects and influences of low parental educational achievement and
low family incomes. The research found that students that are considered overweight, with a
Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than the 95th percentile, (The Center for Disease Control does

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not use the term obese to describe children)are at greater risk for a plethora of social,

psychosocial, mental health, and academic deficits. Overweight children have full scale IQs
significantly lower than non-overweight peers, were referred more frequently for special
education services, and reported higher experiences with depression (Taras & Potts- Datema,
2005). The researchers also found outcomes that indicated that normal height/ weight children
has significantly better performance on tests, had a wider range of interest, and a better capability
for social adaptability (Taras & Potts- Datema). The research identifies some possible
contributing factors to the recent obesity epidemic. Among the leading reasons, the drastic
increase in the per capita soft drink and sugary drink consumption as well as the prevalence of
fast food establishments has been linked to the increase. During the early 2000s, per capita soft
drink and fast food consumption grew 41% from the early 1990s (Taras & Potts- Datema, 2005).
In addition, youth are living a more sedentary lifestyle as technology devices are becoming the
activity of choice for many adolescents.
Several recent studies of the risk and effects of childhood obesity have targeted parents
and administration as important stakeholders in the overall wellness of adolescents. Research
has also assessed how cultural norms and beliefs have shaped perceptions of childhood obesity.
In the article, Perceptions of Childhood Obesity among Rural Parents, Teachers, and School
Administrators, the researchers addressed the risk associated with childhood obesity. Among
them they discussed cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, and gallbladder disease; social and
psychological risks were more frightening including depression, stigmatization anxiety, and low
self-esteem (Tripp & Choi, 2014). The researchers addressed actors that affect and shape
perceptions including predisposition to recognize obesity and perceived costs associated with a
healthy lifestyle. The researchers also addressed that many administrators and parents debate

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whether healthy lifestyle should be addressed more heavily at home or at school. Truly healthy
living is a lifestyle that should be taught, shaped, and fostered across all areas of life. The
researchers conducted a qualitative research study through personal interviews. The surveys
were provided by the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC). To focus groups consisted of
administrators, teacher, and parents. The research analyzed the perceptions about obesity,
concerns about student health, knowledge of state and federal policies, and efforts to build a
healthy community. The results indicated that across the board, teachers identified obesity in
their schools and community problem. Parents uniformly identified limited nutrition knowledge
and healthy food preparation skills as a major barrier to providing healthy food at home (Tripp &
Choi, 2014). The study results provided 3 recommendations for school and communities to
increase collaboration as well as improve the schools overall comprehensive health program.
First, the researchers identified parent knowledge as a major concern and noted that school
districts can offer forums, meetings, and programs for parents to increase awareness for
recognizing obesity and promoting healthy lifestyles (Tripp & Choi, 2014). Second, schools can
increase parental knowledge for healthy foods with grocery tours, presentations, and
demonstrations to help home environments (Tripp & Choi, 2014). Third, the researchers
recommended that administration, parents, and teachers could work with policymakers to
increase mandated recess times, make PE a requirement at all grade levels, and redesign
curriculum standards to increase knowledge and skills (Terry & Choi, 2014). The focus is to
teach skills and not solely give students facts. Increasing awareness and addressing perceptions
are essential for reducing that the incidence of childhood obesity.
Several websites have been developed to provide education, resources, and tools to
support physical health and wellness. Among those websites is www.nhlbi.nih.gov, the official

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website for National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. This website provides information

including programs and trainings that focus on the prevention of heart and lung diseases to help
children and adults live longer, healthier lives. The website offers resource links specifically for
the public, health professionals, and researchers. There are periodicals and scholarly articles
about relevant health related to cardiovascular and circulatory health and wellness. The website
aims to increase education and awareness about cardiovascular risk factors as well as protective
factors and measures. The website offers information on health related topics from A-Z in
addition to information about upcoming public forums, educational seminars in addition to
relevant recent medical news. The website offers numerous resources, links, and strategies for
preventing preventable diseases by promoting physical activity, proper nutrition, and overall
wellness.
With physical educators being a large stakeholder in the development of a healthy
lifestyle for adolescents, it is important that physical educators have relevant, valid websites that
provide additional resources for them to utilize. The website www.peuniverse.com is a very
valuable resource for physical educators, trainers, and anyone interested in helping adolescents
develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This is a comprehensive website with several links for
physical fitness and physical education. This website also serves as an online community where
physical educators can share ideas in blog, discussion, or video form. The website provides
information regarding developmentally appropriate physical activities for different age groups.
This resource has a wealth of information regarding lesson planning, assessment tools, and best
practices in physical education. The website also offers opportunities for professional
development for physical educators through online training courses.

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Each of these resources serves as vital tools in the efforts to combat the alarming obesity
trends among adolescents in the United States.

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Program Proposal
Live Wise, Live Well (LWLW) Physical and Nutritional Wellness Skills Development
Program
Christina Greschak, Tyrell Jones, Watkins Holt, Jasmine Nixon, Sharaun Mouzone, & Sheena
Parker
SPED 430
April 5, 2016

Program Title

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The title of the proposed program is Live Wise, Live Well. The program focuses on the
development of knowledge and skill sets among adolescents that will foster a lifetime of healthy
choices and behavior will lead to total wellness. This program is a 6 week healthy behaviors
skills development program for 3rd graders in an elementary school in rural North Carolina. This
particular age group was selected because this is the age when students begin to decision make
more independently and take a greater stake in their own well-being. This is also a pivotal age in
problem solving skill development for adolescents.
Description of Needs
The researchers have identified a social epidemic plaguing the adolescent community in
America, obesity. The identified problem is related to the steady increase in the numbers of
juveniles with body mass indexes in the obese to morbidly obese range. Obesity can most easily
be defined as a body mass index (BMI) percentage that is in excess of 20% of the average
recommended BMI. According to recent statistics published by the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey, 37.2% of adolescents ages 6-11 years old are overweight or at
risk of being overweight (Judge & Jahns, 2007). More alarmingly, in recent years the number of
youths diagnosed with obesity related conditions including hypertension, asthma, diabetes, and
many cardiovascular diseases have skyrocketed (www.nhlbi.nih.gov, 2016). Relevant research
has identified links between obesity and poor academic performance as well as social, emotional,
and behavioral problems. The links have been identified in an effort to develop programs,
instructional solutions, and community collaboration efforts that will aid in combating this
deadly trend.

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Based on recent statistical data, the increase in obesity rates among youth can be linked to
the current norms and societal trends. Identified risk factors for increased obesity rates among
adolescents include environmental, biological, cultural, and even socioeconomic risk factors for
obesity. Over the past 20 years, the number of obese and overweight children has rapidly risen.
One social contributor to these climbing rates is the prevalence of technology and media outlets
that promote a sedentary behavior. Children spend a lot of time in front of the television, playing
video games, and researching and learning on the computer. Socioeconomic risk factors are
prevalent as poverty is the number risk factors for obesity (Taras & Potts- Datema, 2005).
Poverty often leads to poor educational achievement among parents, a diet higher in fatty,
processed foods, and an overall lack of knowledge regarding nutritional welfare. It is imperative
that the school system develop a comprehensive health education program that targets the
various areas of risk. The identified need creates an opportunity to develop a prosocial, like
skills development program. However, the program must teach and provide opportunities to
practice the necessary skills to maintain a healthy balance in all areas of the health triangle to
promote total wellness.
Program Goals & Objectives
This program will seek to increase knowledge of healthy lifestyle behaviors by utilizing a
twofold approach which includes a nutrition and physical activity aspect. The goal of the
nutritional program is to increase the knowledge and awareness of healthy foods to promote
lifelong healthy eating.

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The first objective of the nutrition program to increase students knowledge base about various
foods and how they affect all areas of health (physical, social, and mental/ emotional).
The second objective of the nutrition program is to promote lifestyle changes among youth by
increasing fruit, vegetable, whole grain, and low-fat dairy consumption.
The third objective of the nutritional program is to foster positive communication and
collaboration with parents and caregivers to provide information about planning and preparing
healthy meals and snacks.
The fourth objective is to increase food security and improve access and affordability to healthy
foods especially fruit and vegetable by providing knowledge about resources such as local
produce farms, food banks, and soup kitchens.

The physical activity program aims to provide students with a knowledge base bout the
various forms of physical activity as well as how they benefit each area of wellness. The goal of
the physical activity education program is to promote lifelong physical activity.
The first objective of the physical education program is to increase the minutes of physical
activity to at least 60 minutes daily.
The second objective of the physical education portion of the program is to promote goal setting

and tracking of healthy diet and physical activity.

The third objective is to aid students in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and body

mass index.
The fourth objective is to promote healthy behavior and health literacy through collaboration
with parents and kids to provide physical activity education as part of a healthy lifestyle.
CONTENT OUTLINE:
6 week Program- Fitness

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Week 1- Cardio Week- Jump Rope, Walking, Running, Biking

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NC Essential Standard-PE.3.HF.3.3 -Implement moderate to vigorous physical activities

that increase breathing and heart rate, at least four to seven times each week, for increasing
periods of time.
Week 2- Strength- Free Weights, Body Weight Resistance, Yoga
NC Essential Standard-PE.3.HF.3.3 -Implement moderate to vigorous physical activities
that increase breathing and heart rate, at least four to seven times each week, for increasing
periods of time.
Week 3- Recreational Fitness- Badminton, Kickball, Tennis/ Table Tennis
NC Essential Standard-PE.3.HF.3.2 -Identify enjoyable and challenging physical
activities that one can do for increasing periods of time without stopping
Week 4- Team Sports- Volleyball, Baseball/ Softball, Basketball
NC Essential Standard-PE.3.HF.3.2 Identify enjoyable and challenging physical activities
that one can do for increasing periods of time without stopping
Week 5- Dance Fitness- Hip Hop Aerobics, Step Aerobics, Zumba
NC Essential Standard--PE.3.MC.2.4 -Illustrate a variety of activities that are associated
with four or more of the five components of health-related fitness.
Week 6- Live Well Olympics-Athletic Skills Competition
NC Essential Standard--PE.3.MC.2.4 -Illustrate a variety of activities that are associated
with four or more of the five components of health-related fitness.

6 Week Program- Nutrition

Week 1- What does a balanced meal look like?- New Food Triangle (Myplate.gov)
NC Essential Standard-3.NPA.2.3 Recognize appropriate portion sizes of foods for most
Americans.
Week 2- Food as Fuel- What makes us Go?- Foods as Energy Boosters or Drainers
NC Essential Standard -3.NPA.1- Apply tools (MyPlate, Food Facts Label) to plan
healthy nutrition and fitness.
Week 3- Rainbow Nutrition- Fruits & veggies Week

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NC Essential Standard 3.NPA.2.1 -Identify the sources of a variety of foods.

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***Color My Lunch Week- Encourage Parents and kids to pack different color fruits &/ or
vegetable each day to show & eat (M- Orange, T- Red, W- Green, Th- Purple, Fri- Any
Color)
Week 4- A Whole Lot Healthier- Whole Wheat, Whole Grain Week
NC Essential Standard 3.NPA.1.2 - Check the Food Facts Label to determine foods that
are low in sugar and high in calcium.
Week 5- Swap a Snack Week- Healthy Snacking Options
NC Essential Standard -3.NPA.2 - Understand the importance of consuming a variety of
nutrient dense foods and beverages in moderation.
***Encourage Students to bring at least one fatty or sugary snack that week to swap for
a healthier snack
Week 6- Healthy Eating Kids Caf- Kids help plan a healthy menu kids will enjoy (Final
Program Project)
NC Essential Standard -3.NPA.1- Apply tools (MyPlate, Food Facts Label) to plan
healthy nutrition and fitness.

Content Development

Live Wise, Live Well (LWLW) Physical and Nutritional Wellness Skills Development
Program
Christina Greschak, Tyrell Jones, Watkins Holt, Jasmine Nixon, Sharaun Mouzone, & Sheena
Parker

PROG DESIGN

14
SPED 430
April 5, 2016

Program Overview
The title of the proposed program is Live Wise, Live Well. The program focuses on the
development of knowledge and skill sets among adolescents that will foster a lifetime of healthy
choices and behavior will lead to total wellness. This program is a 6 week healthy behaviors
skills development program for 3rd graders in an elementary school in rural North Carolina. The
group will meet three times a week for 90 minutes. This particular age group was selected
because this is the age when students begin to decision make more independently and take a

PROG DESIGN
greater stake in their own well being. This is also a pivotal age in problem solving skill

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development for adolescents. This programs focus is increasing proactive decision making and
skills application for students in regards to informed choices about nutrition and physical activity
on a daily basis. The content of each week of the program is outlined.
Week 1- Fitness & Nutrition: Cardio and MyPlate
Week 1 of the Live Wise, Live Well program is designated as Cardio Week. The
students will be introduced to a variety of activities and techniques to measure their breathing,
heart-rate, and sustainable lifestyle decisions to improve their overall health. Children will
understand the benefits of walking, running, and various other forms of aerobic exercise. In
addition to the information being introduced on the importance of physical activity, the children
will also be engaging in a nutritional component of the program. The nutrition aspect of week 1
will focus on the importance of a balanced meal. The students will be meeting on Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday of week one; the first 60 minutes of the program will focus on the
physical activity, while the final 30 minutes will be dedicated to the nutrition program.
Monday: What is cardio and why is it important? For the first day of Cardio Week,
the students will begin with an introduction to the term cardio and aerobic exercise. This
discussion will make the students aware of the importance of the cardiovascular system and how
exercise will help sustain a healthy heart. The first activity the students will engage in will focus
on their heart-rate. In order to grab the students attention, the discussion will begin by stating the
fact that every person has their own heartbeat, and when it beats blood with oxygen is pushed
through their body. The blood being pushed through their body is how they live. This is also
known as their heart-rate. The students will then learn that everyone have their own heartbeat,
but you can actually measure it too! Have the students simply place two fingers on either their

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wrist or the side of their neck, and count the number of times their heart beats in 30 seconds.

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Have the students count their number of heartbeats for 30 seconds, write it down, and then
multiply the number by 2. This total will represent their resting heart rate. Once the students have
learned how to measure their resting heart-rate, discuss how the body needs more oxygen when
you move around more, therefore making your heart beat faster so provide the necessary amount
of oxygen; more activity will create a faster heart-rate. To demonstrate this to the students, have
each student perform 20 jumping jacks and then run in place for three minutes. Once the activity
has been completed, have the students measure their heart-rate once again and compare the
number to their resting heart rate. At this point, allow the students to engage in questions
concerning heart-rates. What is a healthy resting heart-rate? What is a healthy active heart-rate?
What other activities can the children do to keep their heart healthy? The students will then be
assigned to log the amount of time and what activities they engage in for the week that they
believe are cardio workouts. The students will record their heart-rate before the activity, and once
again after the activity. The activity logs will be reviewed and discussed on the final day of the
week. Once this discussion has been completed, transition to the importance of eating healthy.
Inform the students that it doesnt take just an active lifestyle to keep your heart healthy, but
proper nutrition and portion size must also be acknowledged and implemented.
For the first day of the nutrition program on week 1, the students will be challenged to
demonstrate what they believe is a balanced meal. This activity will consist of the students
cutting out foods they select from magazines and pasting them onto their plate. The plate will
be a piece of paper with the outline of a plate and subsections for various foods. Once the
activity has been completed, distribute a handout of what a healthy, balanced meal looks like,
and allow the children to compare and contrast their plate with the example.

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Wednesday: How do we burn fat? The main focus of the physical activity section will
be on what is considered a healthy fat burning zone for the students heart-rate. The students
will begin by demonstrating how to measure their resting heart-rate once again - as they were
taught on Monday. With the understanding of what a heart-rate is, the students will now be
introduced to the different zones of your heart-rate - more specifically, the target number to be
burning fat. In order to find their target fat burning zone, the children will have to do math! As a
group, we will discuss the formula needed to calculate a fat burning zone. The first measurement
we will need is your maximum heart rate. This is calculated by subtracting your age from 220
(220 - your age = maximum heart rate). Once this number has been established, you can
calculate your fat burning zone by simply finding what 60-70% of your maximum heart-rate
equals (My Fitness Pal). For example, if a student is 10 years old, the formula will look like this:
220 - 10 = 210. 60% of 210 = 126. 70% of 210 = 147. The student in this example has a fat
burning heart-rate zone of 126-147. Once the calculations have been established, the students
will be aware of what their target heart-rate for burning fat is. Now that the students have been
informed of the fat burning zone, the program will encourage them to engage in a variety of
different low-intensity cardio workouts, such as long walks or riding a bike. The activity for the
day will be walking around the school playground and checking to record their heart-rates every
10 minutes. Becoming aware of their heart-rate will allow to children to either increase their pace
or reduce it to sustain the fat burning zone.
The nutrition portion for Wednesday will focus primarily on the portion size of food in
relation to the calories burned in a fat-burning zone. The students will have various examples of
healthy and unhealthy snack options, with the number of calories per serving on the back and the
number of minutes needed in a fat burning zone to burn off the fat. For the activity, the students

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will be instructed to choose whatever snack they would like to eat, and then compare their choice
to other options on the board. For example, a Quaker Chewy bar has only 110 calories and 2g of
fat, where as a pack of pop-tarts has around 420 calories and 10g of fat (Fitness Magazine). The
intention of this activity is to have the children understand the difference between healthy food
options and unhealthy food options, and how the time required in a fat burning zone can be
drastically different depending on the option selected.
Friday: High Intensity - High Results! So far the students have discussed what the terms
cardio and aerobic mean, what a pulse is and how to measure your heart-rate, how to
discover your fat-burning zone, what a balanced plate looks like, and the difference in calories
between healthy and unhealthy snacks. For our final day of Cardio Week we will explore the
options for high-intensity cardio exercises and what aerobic exercise actually does.
High-intensity cardio workouts can cover a wide range of activities including: sprints,
running, swimming, jumping, soccer, and basketball. For children, games such as tag or
skipping rope can also be utilized as high-intensity cardio activities. For an activity to be
considered a high-intensity cardio activity, an individuals heart-rate must be between 70-85% of
their maximum heart rate (Live Well). The students will be taught the difference between the fatburning heart-rate zone (low-intensity) and the aerobic heart-rate zone (high-intensity). Highintensity cardio workouts are designed to strengthen an individuals endurance. For our activity,
the students will participate in running a timed one mile challenge. The students will measure
their heart-rate both pre and post race, and then reference their results to determine if this activity
was considered high or low intensity.
The significance between portion size, nutritional value, and energy used to burn off fat
has been discussed all throughout the first week of Live Wise, Live Well. For the students final

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activity, they will create a diagram that outlines their personal resting heart-rate, target fat-

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burning heart-rate, and aerobic heart-rate. Next, the children will list their 5 favorite healthy
snacks, as well as their 5 favorite unhealthy snacks and the amount of calories and fat in each.
Once this information has been added to their diagram, they will determine how long they would
need to exercise in each category (resting, low-intensity, high-intensity) to burn off each snack.
This will become a useful guide that they students can refer to after the program has ended.
Week 2- Fitness & Nutrition: Strength and Food as Fuel
Week two of the Live Wise, Live Well Program will be known as Strength &
Endurance Week. Students will be introduced to different types of activities that will focus on
two of the health-related fitness components muscular strength and muscular endurance. The
activities that the students will be introduced to will ensure that each participant has the
competency to build muscular strength and endurance. After fully analyzing the importance of
muscular strength and endurance students will be able to dissect each component of the activity.
Inside of week two there will be a section designated for nutrition where the students will not
only learn but also engage in different eating recipes and also how to make the perfect as soon
as you get home snack. This will not only help students but also parents when trying to train
their child to eat responsibly. Students will be able to comprehend the MyPlate nutrition plan and
they will also be able to distinguish between healthy foods and non-healthy foods. The students
will meet three days out of the week which will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The first 60
minutes will be focused on physical activity while the last 30 minutes will be for nutrition.
Monday: What is muscular strength and muscular endurance? The first day of Strength
and Endurance week the students will be introduced to muscular strength and muscular

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endurance and what those two health-related fitness components can actually do for their body.
The vision of this discussion is to help each student understand why these aspects of healthy
living are so important. After the students have a good understanding of the two words they will
be presented with the first activity; which will be centered on muscular strength and the
importance of it. The discussion will begin by the instructor asking the students if they have ever
been a part of a fitness station. The fitness stations will have three different stations that will all
focus mainly on muscular strength. The first station will be known as The Push Up station
where students will have to sprint 10 yards to the push up mats. Once they arrive at the push up
mats they will have to complete ten push-ups before leaving that station. The next station will be
known as Jump Start. Students will have to lift their own body weight over a wall appropriate
for their height with a safety mat on the other side. This activity will build muscular strength in
the students because they will have to lift and control their body in order to make it over the wall.
The final station will be known as Pull up Powers. Each student will use the pull up bar to see
how many pull ups they are able to do without stopping. The Fitness stations should only last for
60 minutes so that each student will be able to go through each station at least one time. After the
physical portion of the program is complete for day number one the students will be ready to
dive into the nutritional aspect. The students should be able to complete the MyPlate diagram
given different food clippings to start the lesson off. After the students have completed the
diagram they will then be given a new set of food clippings which would include foods they
probably do not know about as of now. The two activities should only take 20 minutes to
complete being that the students should already have an idea of what healthy foods are because
they attended week 1 of the Live Wise, Live Well program. The last 10 minutes of the program

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will be for the students to actually fill their stomachs with a nutritious meal that they learned

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about in the previous activities.

Wednesday: The second day of the Strength & Endurance week will focus more on
muscular endurance. In order to get the students ready for todays work I will start by asking
them about teamwork. Teamwork is something that is very important and will remain important
throughout the rest of each students life. The students will be engaging in a physical fitness
circuit which they will complete with a team effort. The fitness circuit will have three different
parts incorporated within it. The first part is a beanbag toss; there should be a basket about 10
yards away from the student. The student should be in pushup position with three bean bags
placed beside of the student. From this position the student will be trying to throw the bean bag
into the basket. Once the first person on that team has got all of the bean bags into the basket
they will then run and get them from the basket and bring them back to their partner who is
waiting in push up position. The next part of the fitness circuit will be monkey bars in which
students will have to successfully complete. If the student falls off they will have to start over
and complete the obstacle successfully before going to the final station. The final station will be
a rock wall that will go from left to right with a safety mat under this portion of the circuit to
avoid injury. The students that have just completed the obstacles will have to hold a planking
position until the rest of their team finishes the circuit, encouraging their team to finish the
circuit quickly. The second day of nutrition will focus on the students and what they like. The
discussion will start off by asking the students what are their favorite foods. Once the students
have given the instructor a few food items they like then they should be able to tell if that food
item is healthy or unhealthy according to the MyPlate plan. Finally, the students will endure a
very nutritious meal to end the second day of the Strength & Endurance week. As stated earlier

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the physical portion of each day should be 60 minutes and the nutritional aspect should be 30
minutes.
Friday: Yoga! The students will participate in various types of yoga poses. They will be
taught the importance of stretch inhale and relax on the exhale. We will go over the different
types of poses that will consists of tree, airplane, bow, three legged dog, frog, reverse warrior,
snake and dragon. After the students have a good understanding of the poses we will do two
different activities Mirror, Mirror and Freeze Dance/Statues. Both of these activities can take
place inside or outside depending on the weather. The third day of nutrition will focus on food
as fuel for your body. The students will be taught the importance of healthy foods that keep
their bodys going. They will get 20 different pictures of healthy and unhealthy foods and a piece
of paper with a line down the middle. They will then glue all the healthy foods to one side and all
the unhealthy pictures to one side. The students then will complete a game of Healthy Jeopardy,
in which we will split students into teams and review everything they learned over the course of
the week in a fun friendly game. As stated earlier the physical portion of each day will be 60
minutes and the nutritional aspect will be 30 minutes.

Week 3- Fitness & Nutrition: Recreational Fitness and Rainbow Nutrition

During the third week of Live Wise, Live Well. The students will participate in various
recreational sports that include badminton, ultimate Frisbee, and tennis. Monday and
Wednesday, the students will be introduced to badminton and tennis. They will learn a brief
history of both sports and the equipment needed to play the sports. The class will begin with a
warm-up, a brief overview of the activity they will be doing, and developmental drills to teach

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them the proper technique. Halfway through the class, the focus will turn to students working on
forehand and backhand swings. On Wednesday, students will work on striking an object and
receiving it back. Toward the end of the class, students will be placed into a random pool and
have a fun, friendly tournament. The tournament will be called Junior Wimbledons. On Friday,
the students will be taken to the field; we will have them warm up and then introduce them to
ultimate Frisbee. We will have students work on forehand and backhand throws and increase the
difficulty by having them execute these throws while moving. Students will play a game of
ultimate Frisbee until the duration of the physical portion ends. For this week of nutrition,
students will be taking on the Color My Lunch Week Challenge where we encourage students
and parents to pack their lunch in various colors of fruits and vegetables. Monday we will
encourage students to pack their lunches in the form of autumn colors. These colors include: red,
auburn, orange, brown and yellow. On Wednesday we want students to pack in the form of
spring colors. These colors will primarily be green, pink and purple. On Friday, students will
have the luxury of packing their own lunch, but will be required to tell us why. Some of their
inspirations can come from the blend of fall and spring colors or their own unique color
combinations. Lastly, we will give students, tomatoes, cucumbers and corn seeds to take home
and plant their own vegetables.
Week 4- Fitness & Nutrition: Team Sports and A Whole Lot Healthier
In week four, students will learn about two recreational team sports. Softball stimulates
from one of Americas pastime; baseball. Also, students will be learning about the fundamentals
of basketball. On Monday, students will be working throwing and catching skills. Students will
end Monday with a game of hot potato. On Wednesday, students will be working on playing fly

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balls, and outfield grounders. They will end the day with a game of Throw (Dont Mow!) the
Yard. The purpose of the game is to see how well the students throw using one of the throwing
cues. Students will be split into equal teams based off of throwing abilities. There will be six
targets placed at different increments on the field. Students will be lined up across from one
another and be challenged to throw an object into a target at ranges of: 5, 10, and 15. On Friday,
students will review fly balls, outfield grounders and will working on batting. Close to the end of
class, students will participate in a game of Toss and Hit. Students will be partnered up with a bat
and a ball. While one student is the tosser, the other student will be the batter. They will toss
and bat to each other for 10 total attempts and then rotate. On Monday, students will learn about
MYPLATE. This consists of the six major food groups which are: grains, vegetables, fruits,
proteins, dairy and oils. Students will learn that at least of your plate should be filled with
grain foods. Foods predominantly made up of grains such as wheat, rice, oats or cornmeal
includes bread, cereal, pasta and tortillas. Under current dietary recommendations, half of your
plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables. Any type of vegetable counts, whether fresh,
frozen, raw or cooked. Fruits are the other food group making up one-half of your plate,
according to the MYPLATE meal plan. As with vegetables, most fruits are naturally low in fat
and calories and a good source of fiber. Proteins are the building blocks of muscles, bones and
blood and are essential to every system in the body. Protein-rich foods should make up the
remaining quarter of your plate. Dairy products provide nutrients that are critical for bone
health, including calcium, potassium and vitamin D. Dairy is also a source of protein. Wednesday
students will be working in pairs and will complete a pre-made worksheet, consisting of five
snack options. Each snack will have its nutrition label and ingredients printed by the image of
each individual snack. Below the images students will be asked to determine what are the pros,

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and cons of each snack and which snack option they think is healthier. Once the activity is

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completed, we will review each worksheet and inform each student which items are healthier. On
Friday, students will complete a game of Healthy Jeopardy, in which we will split students into
teams and review everything they learned over the course of the week in a fun friendly game.
Week 5- Fitness & Nutrition: Dance Fitness and Swap a Snack Nutrition
During week 5 of the program, students will develop a knowledge base about how to
interpret food labels and nutritional needs when selecting snack items. The students will exercise
decision making skills and practice skills for a lifetime of healthy decision making. Week 5 is
known as Swap a Snack week. During this week, students will learn to differentiate between
healthy and unhealthy snacking options in addition to appropriate serving sizes. Today, the
students will be introduced to recommended nutrient servings (carbohydrates, sugars, fats, etc)
for themselves based on age, size, and weight. Students will then learn to compare their
recommended caloric and nutrient intake to those provided by popular youth snacks. Students
will also receive valuable information about snacking options that offer recommended MyPlate
servings such as granola, squeezable yogurts, and some fruit snacks. Students will also learn to
identify some snacks that offer real vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. The students will be
taught about those particular foods that are beneficial to their overall wellness goals. After the
students learn the lesson, they are will be given a worksheet with pictures of different foods to
help them make healthier and wiser decision making in relation to snack choices. When the
assignment is over, the students will be provided with a healthy snack to eat before getting
involved in the active lesson. They will be given 10 minutes to eat their healthy snacks. When
the students are finished eating, they will learn the popular dance forms that offer cardio,

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26
strength, and entertainment benefits. Some of these popular dance forms include Hip Hop dance,
Zumba, and Step Aerobics. Most students will enjoy the hip hop dances because they catch on to
hip hop better than they would any other dances. In the process of these three different dances,
they are going to learn how dance can help with them getting in shape and having fun at the
same time. Today, the students will be participating in Zumba by a Zumba instructor. Zumba
helps with weight loss and it helps engage students into wanting to continue it. By getting the
students involved with Zumba will help with the enjoyment and helping them increase their
cardio. Students are allowed to take water breaks in between Zumba sessions.
Wednesday: Today, the students will learn about non nutritious food choices and how
they can affect all areas of wellness including physical, mental, and social. Many popular food
choices are in fact, more harmful than healthful. These food choices are often high in saturated
fats, sugars, and bad carbohydrates while providing little to no nutritional value. Some
examples of foods that students will be encouraged to limit include fried potato chips, snack
cakes, candy bars, and other high sugar candies. Students will be taught the ways in which
excess sugar intake can affect health and fitness. Students will also be introduced some health
related illness risk associated with frequent junk food eating. After the lesson is complete, the
instructor will allow the students to watch a Cartoon YouTube video about unhealthy food
choices. This will reinforce the days topics while entertaining the students. Afterwards, students
will have a ten minute snack break and will be encouraged to discuss/ compare the nutrition facts
of their snack with those of a peer. Students will then proceed to their fitness activity. The
physical activity that the students will partake in will be Step Aerobics. Students will interact
with a Step Aerobics instructor to exercise their muscles and increase their strength while doing
it with music. Students will learn how creating combinations of 8 eight count steps can lead to

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the development of a fun and easy workout routine. In the Step Aerobics session, step platforms
and Styrofoam light weights will be provided for the students to use. This will help the students
to engage with the music while strengthening their bones and muscles.
Friday: Students will begin the fitness portion of the class by reviewing the information
learned about wise and unwise food choices based on their knowledge of nutritional needs and
values. This is the time where the students will interact with the teacher and the teacher will be
able to provide valuable feedback and answer questions that the students may have in relation to
the weeks lesson. The main focus for the lesson will be to determine whether or not students can
identify healthy and unhealthy food choices, even when they are masked by misleading labeling
or wording. The students will be introduced to snack items and allowed to view each item. There
will be two baskets in the front of the class and the students will be responsible for putting all the
healthy snack options in one basket and the misleading, unhealthy snack foods in another. This
will be a way of assessing their ability to problem solve as well as test their knowledge about
interpreting food labels on snacks. The unhealthy foods that the students put in the basket will
then be discussed and agreed upon on as a group, followed by the healthy food items. Students
that disagree with food item placement will have an opportunity to plead their case and
feedback will be provided. On this day, students will also have the opportunity to swap a
snack that is to be purchased or brought from home that is considered an unwise or unhealthy
snack choice in order to swap it for a healthy snack. When everyone receives a healthy snack,
they will eat it and proceed to their physical activity. The activity for today will be involved in
Hip Hop Dance. The song that the students will use for this activity will be Whip Nae Nae.
Whip Nae Nae is a popular dance that every child loves to dance to and strength endurance will
be involved in the dance. The things included would be pushups, jumping jacks, and lunges.

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Getting them involved in both hip hop music and physical activity is a fun thing for them to get
involved in. When they hear the song, it may help with them remembering the movements as
well.
Week 6- Fitness & Nutrition: Live Well Olympics and Kids Caf
Week 6 (Monday): On this week, the students are will be focusing on planning their own
healthy menus. The lessons taught on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday will help them develop
their menus and it will be presented on Friday. When the students are making their healthy
menus, they will be able to relate back to the MyPlate and the Food Facts Labels. On Monday,
students will be taught about the Food Facts Labels. The Nutritional Facts Label consist of
Serving Size and Number Servings, Calories, Rich in Nutrients, Protein, Carbohydrates, Fats and
Sodium. This will help the students determine whether or not to use certain ingredients or foods
for their healthy meals. Learning how to read the Nutritional Facts Label is very important and
this will help the students get use to reading the label before they buy items. Students will be
given a laminated nutrition facts label and a worksheet with questions on it. These questions will
be asking about the nutrition facts label so that it will test the students understanding of the
lesson. When the assessments are finished, they will proceed with eating a nutritious snack for 10
minutes and will get ready for their physical activity. Kickball will be the activity for the
Monday and almost every child loves the game. This game is a good way for them to be in a
continuous movement and to interact with others. Students will take turn working on their
locomotor skills that involve kicking, throwing, running, and catching. It also helps with
developing teamwork to accomplish a common goal.

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29
Wednesday: The focus for the nutrition today would be to get the students to understand
that math has to be used when reading the nutrition label. Students will be taught that people
sometimes double the servings of items and it can be very bad for their health. By them using
their math skills to help guide them through the nutrition facts label, they will realize by the large
number amounts that it will not be good for the body. Not only will they have labels for foods,
but they will also be shown labels for drinks as well. The instructor will provide each student
with laminated food and drink nutrition facts labels and each student will determine if their label
is healthy or unhealthy. After the students are done with that mini activity, they will have their
snack time and then get ready to get active. Students will get involved with a much bigger
physical activity and that is a Relay Obstacle Course. In this Relay Obstacle Course, students
will need to work as a team and think together to accomplish this goal. The course will consist of
hopping in the circle of each hula hoop and then tagging their teammates hand standing at the
monkey bars. The next person will have to go from finishing the monkey bars to running up the
stairs to the slide and sliding down the slide to the next person. The next person will go from the
slide to the basketball court and shooting the ball twice. After that student has shot the ball twice
and has tagged the next person's hand, the next student's job is to hop like a frog all the way to
the finish line. Every student will have a task to do and it will take each students effort to finish
the relay. In this activity, students will be getting involved in cardio and working on their
locomotor skills that consist of running, hopping, climbing, and shooting an object.
Friday: On the last day of the program, the students will take what they learned from this
week and make their own healthy meal. The meal can consist of anything they choose to have
but the meal has to be healthy. Students will be given time to use their imagination and create
what they would make for someone else to eat as being healthy. To make the project fun, the

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30
students will be told to draw their healthy meal and color it so it can be identified easily. When
the students finish, their projects will be hung up in the classroom until its time for them to take
it home. The students will eat their provided snacks and then will head outside to the playing
field. The last day of the program is planned like a Field Day for the students to have fun, enjoy
themselves, and being active. Students will be given an Ultimate Field Day t-shirts to wear
when participating. The Ultimate Field Day will consist of various games that will consist of a
Water Balloon Fight, Potato Bag Sack Races, Tug a War, and Jumping Rope. Students will have
a variety of game to choose from and to enjoy themselves. These games consist of flexibility,
teamwork, cardio, locomotor skills, and strength. Instructors of the program will be participating
in Ultimate Field Day along with the students to help make this last day special to them.
Evaluation Plan
The evaluation plan for the program consists of a combination of both formal and
informal assessment tools. The evaluation plan includes an outcome evaluation as well as an
impact evaluation. Some assessment tools will be formative and progress monitor throughout
the program. In addition, a formal, summative assessment will assist with evaluating the overall
growth in knowledge base regarding obesity, nutrition, and overall wellness. The summative
assessments include collecting information to learn if the program has achieved the intended
outcomes. The summative evaluations will consist of a formal written assessment for students in
addition to a programs survey where parents and student participants are the focus group. The
evaluation plan is designed to measure the effectiveness and success of the program as well as
analyze parent and student perceptions about the program. This will be evaluated to determine if
the program goals and objectives were in fact met.
Formal Summative Assessment

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31
The first and most obvious assessment tool is a formal, written skills assessment. This
assessment will consist of a program pretest and posttest. The test designs will be identical. The
quasi experimental design format will be used. This format is frequently used when researchers
want to monitor the effect of a new teaching method on groups of children. The pre/ posttest
design allows evaluators to calculate the measurement of change. This shows overall growth or
regression in relations to a particular concept or skills set which in this case is obesity
prevention, physical fitness, and nutrition wellness knowledge. Students will complete a
multiple choice, written pre and posttest. The test will be identical and used to show growth in
knowledge. The students and program coordinators will assist students with comparing their
knowledge before and after the program.
Student Personal Tracking Logs
One of the goals of the program is to increase students awareness of behaviors that foster
a healthy lifestyle and lead to lifelong healthy behaviors. For this program, students will perform
self-checks and self-assessments. The weekly logs will consist of a physical activity and daily
nutrition logs. The physical activity log encourages students to log and progressively increase
their minutes of daily physical activity. The log also encourages students to try different
activities by having students log what activity what done and for what durations. The nutrition
log encourages students to become a stakeholder in their nutritional intake. The students will use
nutrition logs to track daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain as well as sugary
and fatty snacks. This will allow students to become advocates for their healthy food choices.
This coincides with the nutrition act that recently revamped school lunches to include more
whole grains, fruits, and vegetables while eliminating fried foods and snack vending machines.
The students show growth in healthy behaviors.

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32
Satisfaction Survey for Students & Parents

One value, summative evaluation tool is a satisfaction survey. This was also serve as an
impact evaluation tool. Following the completion of the program, each student and caregiver
that participates in the program will be given a satisfaction survey to complete. The satisfaction
surveys will 5-10 questions that relate to the service delivery, participant experience and overall
satisfaction with the program. The purpose of this type of survey is to gauge how satisfied your
children and parents are. Additionally, to determine whether or not families feel they have gained
real life applicable skills to lead a healthier life. The satisfaction survey will also include what
the families felt was the most valuable aspect of the program as well as suggestions for
improvement to the program. The final goal of the survey is to gain student and parent input
about program effectiveness as well as overall perceptions of the program.
Beginning BMI for students and ending BMIs for students
The final evaluation tool is a quantitative evaluation of beginning and ending body mass
indexes for program participants. This evaluation is an optional measure for children to
participate in. This will consist of a measurement of the students body mass index at the
beginning of the program. The student will then pledge to increase health behaviors including
physical activity and nutritious food choices. The students body mass index will be measured at
the end of the program and compared to that from the beginning of the program. Each student
will have the choice of charting and beginning and ending Body mass to track personal progress.
It is important to periodically evaluate programs in order to assess and adapt the activities
to ensure they are as effective as they can be. The evaluation can help the program designers
identify areas for improvement and ultimately help them realize their goals more efficiently and
realistically. Additionally, when the program coordinators share the results about what was more

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and less effective, it can help advance the overall mission of the program (EMI, 2004).

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Furthermore, evaluation will enable the designers to demonstrate the programs success or
progress. The information collected will allow educators to better communicate the program's
impact to others, which is critical to attracting and retaining support from school, families, and
the community at large.

References
Judge, S., PhD., & Jahns, Lisa,PhD., R.D. (2007). Association of overweight with academic
performance and social and behavioral problems: An update from the early childhood
longitudinal study. The Journal of School Health, 77(10), 672-8.
Taras, H., & Potts-Datema, W. (2005). Obesity and student performance at school. The Journal
of School Health, 75(8), 291-5.
Tripp, Paula J,PhD., C.F.C.S., & Choi, J. Y., PhD. (2014). Perceptions of childhood obesity

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among rural parents, teachers, and school administrators. Journal of Family and
Consumer Sciences, 106(4), 33-39.

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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) - NHLBI, NIH. (n.d.).
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Physical Education Universe (n.d.). Retreieved March 15, 2016 from
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How to Target Your Heart Rate & Get Into the Fat-Burning Zone - Hello Healthy. (2014).
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Kids Yoga DVDs, Videos, Mats, Yoga Poses for Children. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2016, from
https://www.namastekid.com/poses
Food Is Fuel: How to Look at Eating. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2016, from
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