The rate of obesity in people 12 to 18 years old rose from 5 percent to 18 percent between 1980 and 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. To combat this problem, having healthy food that’s regularly available to students is vital. It can be difficult to get the campus cafeteria to make a change, though, so you need to use a wide range of strategies when advocating for healthy food options on campus.
Get Authorities on Board
The support of school personnel is necessary to get any comprehensive campus health campaign off the ground. Aim to approach everyone on your campus who is involved with health and wellness to ask for her support in getting healthy food options on campus. Specific school authorities to get on board include counselors, physical education and health education teachers, school administrators and cafeteria supervisors.
Show That It Matters
Before you can persuade others to support you, it helps to have data that backs up the idea that the school and cafeteria would benefit from the changes you are advocating. Locate and print copies of scientific studies backing the link between healthy eating options on campus and student health. For example, a study published in the October 2011 issue of the “Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health” found that the more healthy eating options a school provided, the better the students’ dietary choices. Focus not only on the idea that students will be healthier, but also on the fact that healthy eating improves class performance.
Establish Practical Steps
An actionable plan with concrete steps is more likely to garner support from students and authorities alike. Start with a few simple goals, such as installing a salad bar in the cafeteria or including a vegetarian option at every meal. Include plans on how you will get the word out to students about the new, healthy food options so school officials can feel secure that making these changes will have an impact.
Get Student Support
The more students you have on your side, the easier it will be to convince the authorities that students will actually eat healthier options when offered. Use creative methods to get the word out about your campaign, such as sponsoring a taste test of different fruits and vegetables or polling students about the top three healthy menu items they’d like to see included in school lunches.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
- Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health: The More Schools Do to Promote Healthy Eating, the Healthier the Dietary Choices by Students
- Public Health Reports: Campus-Community-School Partnerships to Evaluate a Multicomponent Nutrition Intervention
- Reuters: Healthy Diet Means Better School Performance
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