The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Select Standing Committee on Health

A Strategy for Combatting Childhood Obesity and Physical Inactivity in British Columbia Report

2nd Session, 38th Parliament - November 29, 2006

< The Need for Immediate Interventions – Table of Contents – The Role of Communities >

Allison, Age 10, Nelson

THE ROLE OF SCHOOLS

In 2003, the Provincial Health Officer identified British Columbia’s schools as being an important setting for health promotion.⁴²  Serving as a “crucible of development,” a comprehensive school health strategy would offer students health instruction, preventative health services, social supports, and a healthy physical environment. ⁴³

Representatives from the Ministries of Education and Health were invited to appear before the Committee in May 2006.  During their presentation, the ministry officials highlighted four areas in which the Ministry of Education has taken an active role in promoting healthy eating and physical activity within the school setting.  These programs include:

•  Revisions to school programs to incorporate physical activity and healthy eating, including the expansion of the ActionSchools! BC framework;

•  Development and implementation of the Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in B.C. Schools;

•  Capital funding for equipment and fitness programs; and

•  Multi-stakeholder collaborations to bolster nutrition and exercise programs.

It is clear to the Committee that schools must play a critical role in shaping the attitudes and actions of British Columbia’s youngest citizens. Based on our consultations, we highlight some areas in which we believe that the government, the Ministry of Education, and school boards can do more to encourage healthy eating and promoting physical activity.

Promoting Healthy Eating

The Committee has identified four areas in which the government and the Ministry of Education could take an additional leadership role in promoting healthy eating in B.C.’s schools.  These include: continued improvement in K-to-12 programs that stresses the importance of a proper diet; full and mandatory adoption of the Guidelines for Food and Beverages Sales in B.C. Schools; and an orderly roll-out of the School Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program.  In addition, the Committee believes that the government should continue to consider bolstering funding to the CommunityLINK (Learning Includes Nutrition and Knowledge) program to support the provision of healthy meals to students most in need.

Healthy Nutrition Programs in Schools

The witnesses from the Ministry of Education informed the Committee that since 2002, significant changes to encourage healthy nutrition and physical activity within British Columbia’s K-to-12 curriculum have been introduced.  In particular, the deputy minister advised that a revised K-to-10 health and career education curriculum and a new K-to-7 physical education curriculum were implemented as of 2006. In addition, the ministry has designed teacher-training resources to support the new modules.

The Committee also notes that the ActionSchools! BC program has recently added a healthy eating component to support activities within the existing activity zones.

The Committee supports the efforts made by the Ministry of Education to revise B.C.’s education programs to emphasize smart nutrition choices.

The Committee recommends that:

19. the Ministry of Education continue to develop and promote programs that educate children on healthy eating habits and encourage school-aged children to choose healthy meal options.

Food and Beverage Sales

In partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education drafted the Guidelines for Food and Beverages Sales in B.C. Schools which articulate plans for removing “Not Recommended” foods from vending machines, school cafeterias, snack shops, and fundraising events.  In addition, the Guidelines recommended that all food sales in B.C. schools should strive to offer students a product mix of foods that consists of 50-40-10 of “Choose Most,” “Choose Sometimes,” and “Choose Least” food options. 
During our meeting with the Ministry of Education officials we learned that there are some notable school districts making great gains in removing unhealthy foods from schools.  However, the deputy minister of education also indicated that the Ministry of Education’s initial survey of food sales found that the majority of foods being sold in schools could be classified as unhealthy.  The deputy minister indicated that the ministry intends to conduct a follow-up survey on foods available for sale in B.C. schools during the 2006-07 school year.

• As stated earlier in the report, the Committee endorses the removal of all food products classified as “Not Recommended” under the Guidelines by 2009 and recommends to government that all schools in the province be mandated to adhere to the 50-40-10 allocation of foods available for sale to students.

School Fruit and Vegetable Snack Pilot Program

In 2004, the Health Committee recommended the expansion of the School Fruit and Vegetables Snack pilot program.  In May 2006, we asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands to provide an update on the implementation of the program.

The Committee learned that the program was expanded to include ten urban, suburban, and rural schools from each health region of the province.  Working with the Ministries of Agriculture and Lands, Education, and Health, retailers, community nutritionists, and the Centre for Disease Control, the program saw a twice-a-week delivery of locally grown produce to the Foodsafe-certified pilot schools.

During our meeting with the pilot project coordinators, the Committee learned that there currently exists an unsolicited waitlist of 120 schools willing to participate in the program.  However, we also learned that one of the major hurdles for the expansion of the program was a lack of Foodsafe-certified schools able to handle the delivery of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as inadequate storage facilities.

The Committee believes that there is considerable merit to a complete and orderly roll-out of the program to the 1,200 schools by 2009, as suggested by the witnesses from the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. Not only will the program provide nutritious snack options and a linkage between students and the source of their food, it will also provide an enormous economic benefit for B.C.’s agricultural producers.  Indeed, we learned that at full implementation the program would result in the output of one ten-acre apple orchard being consumed per week in B.C.

The Committee recommends that:

20. the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and the Ministry of Education work with ActNow BC to expand the School Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program across the province.

Ethan, Age 5, Vancouver

Meal Programs for Students in Need

During our meeting with representatives of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, the Committee heard about lunch programs operating in 26 elementary schools and administered by the Vancouver School Board.  The Committee learned that hot lunch programs in the Vancouver School District serve more than 9,000 vulnerable students in need of supplemental nutrition.

The cost of school meal programs are shared by school districts, community agencies, parents, and the provincial government.  In addition to base school district funding provided to the school districts, the Ministry of Education provides additional funding to students at risk through the CommunityLINK program. The $45.4 million provincial investment in programs across the province is designed to assist the funding of breakfast and lunch programs, inner-city school programs, after-school care, school-based support workers, community school programs, and counselling for at-risk children and youth.  Funding offered through the CommunityLINK program has remained constant since 2004/05.

In 2002, the Directorate of Agencies for School Health commissioned a review of needs for school lunch programs in B.C. schools. Based on the regional sampling conducted, the report found that there was a current need for 35 new meal programs and an expansion of 67 programs already in place.⁴⁴ Citing this research, the Provincial Health Officer recommended in his 2005 annual report that the provincial government “work with school boards to ensure meal programs are available in a dignified manner, to all children in need.” ⁴⁵ The Health Committee endorses this recommendation.

The Committee recommends that:

21. the government provide additional resources to expand subsidized hot, nutritious school lunch programs in schools with the greatest need.

Logan, Age 8, Atlin

Promoting Physical Activity

A common theme that emerged, particularly during our youth consultations, was an unambiguous call for schools to place a greater emphasis on both non-competitive and competitive options for physical activity within the education system.  The Committee was interested in proposals for expanding the ActionSchools! BC program to include kindergarten to grade three, and possibly grades eight to 12. In addition, we saw the need for the Ministry of Education, municipalities, and local schools to continue to make joint investments in physical activity infrastructure.

Physical Education

In British Columbia, physical education is a requirement for all students from kindergarten to grade 10.  The current physical education curriculum for students in these age groups is composed of the following themes:

• Active Living
• Movement – Alternative-Environment Activities
• Movement – Dance
• Movement – Games
• Movement (Gymnastics)
• Movement (Individual and Dual Activities)
• Personal and Social Responsibility

Table 4 below illustrates the approximate number of hours of mandatory physical education for each of kindergarten, grades one to seven, and grades eight to 10 based on the number of instructional hours in the day, the minimum number of instructional days and the percentage of instructional time expected to be allocated to physical education.  Although students in grades 11 and 12 are not required to take physical education, they are required to “engage in 80 hours of moderate or intense physical activity,” either inside or outside the school setting.

Table 4: Physical Education Requirements in B.C.’s Schools

The Health Committee strongly endorses the opinion that every student in B.C.’s education system should be required to participate in daily physical activity.

However, in making this recommendation, we would encourage schools and school districts to develop new and innovative ways for encouraging physical activity — particularly for students in grades 11 and 12.

A common theme we heard during our consultations with youth was that a large segment of the student population has no interest in traditional physical education models.  One story, in particular stood out:

P.E. classes do not achieve what they are intended to do. The curriculum does not set strict enough rules, and many of the activities we do in P.E. are simply time fillers.  An example of this is a game that I played in P.E. class for almost a month every day last year, called elimination volleyball, in which everyone in the P.E. class just simply goes onto the volleyball court, and they play a game of volleyball. If the ball hits the ground, whoever is at fault for the ball hitting the ground is then eliminated.

People that are good at volleyball stay on the longest and get better, and those who aren’t good at it are simply eliminated and have no chance to get better.   There are also a lot of people on the court, so it’s not hard to get the ball. You don’t have to get much exercise, so it doesn’t help at all, which is what P.E. is supposed to do. (M. McMahen, Williams Lake).

A clear message that we heard was that students want and need options for physical activity in schools.  We believe that the K-to-10 physical education program needs to shift its focus to emphasize and promote fitness and recreational physical activity.  The current sports-based curriculum leaves many students, often those most in need of exercise, sitting on the sidelines.

Physical activity programs for students in senior secondary should encourage a diversity of activity — from competitive team and solo sports, to aerobics and conditioning, to non-traditional activities such as biking and rock-climbing.  It should also include activity on a smaller scale — activities like walking around the school or track for 15 minutes.  The important thing to remember is that we need to get our students out and moving daily.

The Committee recommends that:

22. the Ministry of Education collaborate with stakeholders in the education system to encourage physical activity for all tudents in the K-to-12 education system.

Derrick, Age 12, Port Alberni

ActionSchools! BC

The Committee was also provided information on the ActionsSchools! BC program.  With the stated goal of increasing physical activity in B.C.’s schools to 150 minutes a week, ActionSchools! requires schools and teachers to critically assess the current physical activity levels and access to physical activity infrastructure and equipment, and to adopt an action plan to increase the physical activity levels of all students.

The program is designed to augment the current physical education curriculum in British Columbia’s schools.  As of August 31, 2006, the program in place in 970 schools, administered by more than 7,000 teachers and 50 regional trainers, with an enrollment of more than 177,500 students.

The program itself is composed of six action zones designed to encourage a healthier school environment, provide for in-class activity, foster the development of partnerships with parents and communities, promote extra-curricular activity and school spirit, and inform teachers on best practices in scheduled physical education activities.

In our meeting with Dr. Heather McKay — the principal investigator for research into the Action Schools! BC program — the Committee was informed about the successes of the program:

• No negative impact on academic performance in students participating in the program.
• Over a 16 month period, a 25 percent improvement in cardio-vascular health.
• An increase in physical activity in both boys and girls participating in the program.
• An observable decrease in body fat in boys at risk of obesity.

ActionSchools! BC is a success story.  It is a model that promotes physical activity within the classroom and supports the existing physical education curriculum.  The Committee endorses the work done to date to deliver this program to elementary and middle schools across British Columbia   We recommend to government that the ActionSchools! BC model be adopted by all schools across the province for kindergarten to grade seven.  Furthermore, we encourage the government to look at ways in which daily physical activity and information on healthy living can be delivered to students in grades eight to 12.

The Committee recommends that:

23. in developing programs to support increased activity levels — especially for children in middle and secondary schools — the Ministry of Education should work with physical education and nutrition specialists to encourage a comprehensive education program that provides non-competitive and universal participation through, for example, an expansion of the ActionSchools! BC program.

Physical Activity Infrastructure in Schools and Communities

A common concern the Committee heard was that in order to meet mandatory physical activity requirements, schools must first have the necessary infrastructure in place to support an expanded program.  During our meeting with the Ministry of Education, the Committee learned that $1.3 million was allocated amongst the province’s elementary and secondary schools to increase the amount of physical activity equipment they had available for students.  An additional $50,000 was provided to BC School Sports to help cover the cost of insurance.

A frequent refrain that emerged in the written submissions was about the need for both the provincial and municipal governments to rehabilitate and expand existing physical activity infrastructure.  The Committee learned that many arenas, gyms, and recreation facilities built during the 1960s are nearing the end of their useful life.

In our 2004 report, we recommended that the government “explore creative multi-use strategies to use B.C. schools after hours as centres for lifelong learning.”  The Committee is pleased to report that, in 2005, the government created a $10 million fund to promote 60 School Community Connections. The program supports partnerships between schools and local governments to greater utilize school facilities for broader community purposes. It is designed to promote sustainable and innovative collaboration between school boards and local governments and take into account the needs of the community as a whole.

As of October 2006, 34 school districts and their local government partners were involved in the program. Of these, five have progressed to the third and final phase where they are eligible for up to $125,000 to implement the project. Six districts are in phase two where they are eligible for up to $40,000 to develop the project, and 23 are in phase one where they are eligible for up to $5,000 to plan the project.  One such project funded under the School Community Connections program — the expansion of the Colquitz Middle School — is highlighted in the text box on this page.

The Committee supports partnership arrangements that encourage enhanced utilization of the province’s schools.  We believe that the government should continue to invest in these partnership arrangements to leverage additional funding from the federal and municipal governments to support the expansion of needed facilities that encourage both physical activity and lifelong learning.  The Committee believes that schools must be the focal point within communities if we are to combat childhood obesity.  Working with municipalities and school boards to bolster available activity and learning spaces will go a long way to ensuring that all kids — and their parents — can participate and learn in environments that are both welcoming and supportive of best practices in health living.

The Committee also realises that any proposal to introduce mandatory physical activity for grades 11 and 12 will require significant provincial reinvestment in B.C.’s schools.  We propose that the provincial government, in consultation with school boards and municipalities, develop an aggressive strategy for expanding the physical infrastructure available at B.C.’s schools to facilitate an expansion of mandatory physical education and physical activity.

The Committee recommends that:

24. the government, school boards and municipalities continue to work to develop and expand joint-use agreements between school boards and municipalities to maximum utilization of education and physical activity facilities.
25. the government — in partnership with school boards, municipalities, and other funding agencies —  formulate intermediate-term plans for the aggressive maintenance, replacement, and expansion of physical activity infrastructure; including, but not limited to gymnasia, weight rooms, sports fields and physical activity studios.

Getting To and From School

A firm belief held by this Committee is that schools and communities must do more to ensure that children and parents walk or cycle to school.  Where possible, walking and cycling to and from school is an easy and affordable way for students to meet their daily physical activity requirements.

One of the first briefings we received was from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia’s (ICBC) Safer City program coordinator to discuss ways to promote walking and cycling to schools.

Safer School Travel is a component of the larger Safer City program currently operating in eight municipalities. Safer City was developed by ICBC and is a collaboration between a city, police, and ICBC. The program aims at making road safety a priority through leveraging and integrating the three E’s of “education,” “enforcement,” and “engineering” into one framework to maximize the effectiveness of key resources in a community. 

Within each participating community, a staff person is designated to act as the Safer City coordinator.  The coordinator meets with interested school parent advisory councils to discuss existing walking and cycling deficiencies in connecting schools and communities.  Such deficiencies may include a lack of sidewalks, poor lighting, a lack of trails, or high vehicle speeds in school zones.

After reviewing the data, the coordinator prepares a document outlining short-, medium-, and long-term solutions to the problems.  The coordinator is responsible for liaising with local government, ICBC, and other government agencies to find funding to remedy infrastructure deficiencies.

The Committee was disappointed to learn that the ICBC was considering winding down funding for the Safer City Program.  It is the Committee’s belief that if the government wants British Columbian’s to become physically active through walking and cycling in our communities, funding must be available to ensure that municipalities and schools can provide both safe transportation routes and promotional material to support the use of these routes.

The Committee firmly believes that every school in British Columbia should have safe routes defined and promoted within the community. We also believe that schools, municipalities, and the province must work together to ensure that every student in British Columbia has access to safe walking or cycling routes.

The Committee recommends that:

26. in consultation with school boards, parent advisory committees, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, local police forces, and local governments, the provincial government ensures that all elementary, middle, and secondary schools in the province develop safe routes to school.  Furthermore, schools should actively promote such safe walking routes to parents, while actively discouraging motor vehicle use to and from school.
27. the government provide resources to local governments and school boards to develop and promote safe routes to school programs and provide additional resources to assist municipalities to address existing walking and cycling infrastructure deficiencies relating to the safe routes to school program.

Colby, Age 11, Cranbrook

< The Need for Immediate Interventions – Table of Contents – The Role of Communities >

© 2006 Legislative Assembly of British Columbia