Giving Compass' Take:

· According to research from the Yale School of Public Health and the University of Connecticut's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, school nutrition policies and programs are successful ways to curb childhood obesity. 

· What are some factors that contribute to childhood obesity? How can philanthropists advocate for healthy school meals for all children? 

· Check out this article about a new program teaching students about healthy food.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nearly one in five children ages 6 to 19 was obese in the 2015-16 academic year. Childhood obesity should be a concern, not only for school administrators, but also for citizens at large. Childhood obesity can affect physical health and well-being, mental health and self-esteem, and by heightening the risk for teasing and bullying, it can also affect school attendance. But is also has the greater potential for resulting in adult obesity, which strains the health of the individual and the health care system.

This study was released a week after the Trump administration announced it would cut some Obama-era nutrition policies that were aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles and reducing obesity. While critics said these policies encouraged better habits — and research said the meals weren't met with significant changes in meal participation — the School Nutrition Association had been arguing for relaxing the rules for years, citing increased costs, lower student participation and food waste as factors. Finding a proper balance between nutritious foods and ones that appeal to children can be a challenge, but creative food swaps and a growth in school gardens is causing some students to look at healthy foods in a fresh, new way.

Read the full article about school nutrition programs by Amelia Harper at Education Dive.