Schools can help reduce childhood obesity through prevention strategies like introducing healthy canteens and water fountains. A healthy canteen that limits high-fat, sugary foods and introduces healthy options can improve learning, prevent diseases, and encourage healthy eating habits outside of school. Likewise, accessible water fountains provide many benefits like adequate hydration, improved cognitive function, energy levels, and weight loss. If schools implement these strategies, they can reduce the number of obese students by providing access to healthy foods and water.

1. Childhood
Obesity
School impact on reducing numbers of
childhood obesity

2. I believe school’s can make an impact in reducing the numbers of childhood obesity
and believe prevention strategies can be put in place for this issue to be treated.

3. Obesity is defined
as an excess of
body fat.

4. Globally,
around an
estimated 170
million children
who are aged
18 years or
younger are
now estimated
to be
overweight.

5. Obesity is commonly known as one of the most public
health challenges of the 21st century.

6. There are preventative strategies
that can be put in place within
school environments, these
include:

7. Introducing a healthy canteen
amongst school environments
Allows for healthy eating which will:
• Improve students ability to learn in class
• Prevent chronic diseases
• Limits high fat, sugary food intake foods
• Introduce knowledge through healthy
eating and will be able to identify healthy
and unhealthy food
• Allow for children to chose healthy foods
outside of school

8. Implementation of water fountains in schools
Adequate hydration
Improves cognitive function
Maximizes physical
performance
Improved energy levels and
functionsPrevents and treats headaches
Weight loss
Better sleep
There are many benefits for the implementation of
water fountains, these benefits include:

9. If these strategies can
be introduced within a
school community, the
numbers of obese
students will be
reduced as they will
have access to healthy
foods and accessible
drinking water.

10. References
• Guillaume (1999), Defining obesity in childhood: current
practice, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 70,
Issue 1, July 1999, Pages 126S–
130S, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/70.1.126s
• Ball, G. (2018).Projecting the impact of a nationwide school plain
water access intervention on childhood obesity: A cost-benefit
analysis(pp. 1-9, Rep.). Wiley Subscription Services. Retrieved
April 28, 2019. ​​​​​​​
• World Health Organization. (2012). Population-based approaches
to childhood obesity prevention, accessed
from :https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/80149/97892
41504782_eng.pdf
• Department of Health. (2019). Role of the School Canteen in
contributing to a health promoting school. Retrieved from
https://www.health.gov.au
Images sourced from:
• https://pixaby.com/
• Common Creatives: no attribution required.