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The Importance of Exercise and How Recess Can Help

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More and more educators, researchers, and parents are realizing that not only is playground time good for kids, but it's also a necessity for their emotional and physical growth.

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The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010external icon required changes to the nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Programexternal icon and School Breakfast Programexternal icon . ¹ As a result, schools are serving more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as reducing the sodium content of the meals. ²⁻⁴ However, there is concern that students may be unfamiliar with, and take longer to eat, some of these healthier options.

Schools can help teach students the importance of eating healthier by making eating it fun and easy to do. Schools can provide nutrition education, give students opportunities to try new foods before they appear on the menu, and ensure that students have at least 20 minutes once they are seated (seat time) to enjoy their meal and socialize. ⁵⁻¹⁰

Seat time is different from the total time for the lunch period and does not include waiting in line to select and pay for the meal.
This distinction between adequate seat time and the length of the meal period overall is important because many activities can shorten time to eat, including using the restroom, handwashing, walking to where the meal is served, waiting in line, selecting items for the meal, waiting to pay, walking to the table, socializing with friends, and bussing trays after the meal. ¹¹

About one-half of school districts nationwide do not require or recommend that schools provide students with at least 20 minutes to eat lunch once they receive their meal. ¹²

Some students also report that insufficient time to eat is a key reason for not participating in the school lunch program. ¹³

Studies have shown that providing more time for lunch is associated with the following:

Increased consumption of food and key nutrients.⁷

Increased selection of a fruit.⁸

Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables,8,9 lunch entrée,⁸ and milk.⁸

Decreased plate waste.⁷

Each school may need to use different strategies, but there are many ideas and best practices to consider. 8,11,14

Schools can

Schedule lunch periods that are longer than 20 minutes to account for the time it takes students to get to the cafeteria (or other location where the meal is served), wait in line, pay for lunch, find a place to sit, socialize with friends, and eat the meal. Some studies suggest that a 30-minute lunch period allows students to have the recommended 20 minutes of seat time.8,15

Schedule recess before lunch, when possible.¹⁰

Train lunchroom paraprofessionals to create comfortable eating environments.

Ask for parent or grandparent volunteers to help provide lunchtime supervision, and to help younger students open milk, condiments, and other prepackaged items.

Require a specific amount of time for sitting and eating before students go out to play.

School nutrition programs can

Provide adequate training to school nutrition staff so that meal service and payment are efficient.

Minimize wait time in lines by adding serving lines, rearranging points of service so that they are easier for students to access, or offering preorder of meals.

Offer grab-and-go meal options in the cafeteria or in remote locations.

Cut up fruit, such as apples and oranges, so they are easier for students to eat.

Consider using the Community Eligibility Provisionexternal icon (a no-cost meal service option) or other provisions that allow all students to receive free meals. This can increase participation in the meal programs and decrease the time that students wait in line to pay for their meal.16

Parents, school staff, and community members can

Join the school wellness team or district wellness committee that sets the policies for health and wellness, and ensure that wellness policies say that students should have at least 20 minutes of seat time to eat lunch.

Educate district and school administrators about the importance of school lunch and adequate seat time.

States can

Consider policies that address sufficient seat time, which is significantly associated with schools providing at least 30 minutes for lunch.¹⁷

1. Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Pub L No. 111-296.

2. United States Department of Agriculture. Food and Nutrition Service. FACT SHEET: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act School Meals Implementation. Available at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/pressrelease/2014/009814external icon . Access on April 10, 2019.

3. Bergman EA, Englund T, Taylor KW, Watkins TM, Schepman S, Rushing K. School lunch before and after implementation of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. J Child Nutr Manag. 2014;38(2)1-12.

1. Johnson DB, Podrabsky M, Rocha A, Otten JJ. Effect of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act on the Nutritional Quality of Meals Selected by Students and School Lunch Participation Rates. JAMA Pediatr. 2016;170(1):e153918.

2. Meiklejohn S, Ryan L, Palermo C. A Systematic Review of the Impact of Multi-Strategy Nutrition Education Programs on Health and Nutrition of Adolescents. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2016;48:631-646.

3. County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. School-based Nutrition Education Programs. Available at: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/take-action-to-improve-health/what-works-for-health/policies/school-based-nutrition-education-programsexternal icon . Accessed on April 9, 2019.

4. Bergman EA, Buergel NS, Englund TF, Femrite A. The relationship between the length of the lunch period and nutrient consumption in the elementary school lunch setting. J Child Nutr Manage, 28(2): October 2004.

5. Cohen JFW, Jahn JL, Richardson S, Cluggish SA, Parker E, Rimm EB. Amount of time to eat lunch is associated with children's selection and consumption of school meal entrée, fruits, vegetables, and milk. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116(1):123-8.

6. Gosliner W. School-level factors associated with increased fruit and vegetable consumption among students in California middle and high schools. J Sch Health. 2014; 84: 559-568.

7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School health guidelines to promote healthy eating and physical activity. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2011;60(RR-5):1-76.

8. Conklin MT, Lambert LG, Anderson JB. How long does it take students to eat lunch? A summary of three studies. Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Management. 2002;26(2):1-9.

9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Results from the School Health Policies and Practices Study 2016. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

1. Asperin, A. E., et al. (2010). "The Non-Participation Survey: Understanding Why High School Students Choose Not to Eat School Lunch." Journal of Child Nutrition & Management 34(1): 8.

2. California Department of Education, Nutrition Services Division. Time to Eat Survey Results, 2013. Available at: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/documents/timetoeatsurvey.pdfpdf icon external icon .

3. Hildebrand D, Millburg Ely C, Betts NM, Gates GE. Time to eat school lunch affects elementary students' nutrient consumption. J Child Nutr Manag. 2018;42:1-13.

4. United States Department of Agriculture. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP): What does it mean for your school or local education agency? Available at: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/cn/CEPfactsheet.pdfpdf icon external icon . Accessed on May 28, 2019.

5. Turner L, Leider J, Piekarz-Porter E, Schwartz MB, Merlo C, Brener N, Chriqui JF. State Laws Are Associated with School Lunch Duration and Promotion Practices. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2018;118:455-463.

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School meal programs provide students nutritious and healthier foods and beverages. Learn why students need adequate seat time to enjoy their meals.

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Schools are in a unique position to help students attain the nationally recommended 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. ¹ Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence is important for promoting lifelong health and well-being and preventing various health conditions. ¹⁻³

To learn more about benefits of physical activity, physical activity behaviors of young people, and recommendations, visit Physical Activity Facts. For more information on the Physical Activity Guidelines, 2 nd edition, visit Physical Activity Guidelines for School-Aged Children and Adolescents. Find out what CDC is doing nationwide to help more adults, children, and adolescents become physically active.

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program Framework [PDF - 3 MB]
This document provides school health professionals, school administrators, physical education teachers, other school staff, and parents with detailed information on the components of a CSPAP framework. It identifies key professional development opportunities and resources to help schools implement the framework.

Infographic
Benefits of School-Based Physical Activity
A CSPAP can increase physical activity opportunities before, during, and after school. This graphic explains how 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can benefit a student's health and directly impact teachers and the community.

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program: A Guide for Schools [PDF - 6 MB]
CDC, in collaboration with SHAPE America, developed a step-by-step guide for schools and school districts to develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive school physical activity programs. The guide can be read and used by an existing school health council or wellness committee, or by a new group or committee made up of physical education coordinators and teachers, classroom teachers, school administrators, recess supervisors, before- and after-school program supervisors, parents, and community members. It can be used to develop a new comprehensive school physical activity program or assess and improve an existing one.

eBook
Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program: A Guide for Schools [EPUB - 5 MB]
The eBook can be viewed on your iOS (iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch) or Android device with an eReader. An eReader is an app that can display eBooks on your mobile device or tablet.

If you do not have an eReader app installed on your iOS (iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch) device, search the App Store for an eReader, like iBooks. If you do not have an eReader app installed on your Android device, search the Google Play Store for an eReader. After an eReader app is installed on your device, you can download the eBook and open it on your device.

The purpose of this module is to familiarize you with the components of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program and the process for developing, implementing, and evaluating one. After this module, you should be able to take the next steps to begin the process of developing a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program.

The course objectives are for you to:

Understand the importance and benefits of youth physical activity.

Recognize the components of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program.

Learn the process for developing, implementing, and evaluating a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program.

1. US Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2018.

2. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community: A Collaborative Approach to Learning and Health. 2014. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/wholechild/wscc-a-collaborative-approach.pdf [PDF - 2.24 MB] .

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School health guidelines to promote healthy eating and physical activity. MMWR. 2011;60(No. RR-5):28-33.

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centers for disease control and prevention

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Physical Education and Physical Activity

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Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity each day. Physical education benefits students by increasing their level of physical activity, improving their grades and test scores, and helping them focus in class.

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All students can participate in school meal programs, and some students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.

Programs like the National School Lunch Program's Afterschool Snack Service, the At-Risk Snack and Meals component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) offer financial support to provide children and youths with nutritious snacks and meals. CACFP and SFSP specifically reach children from low-income areas.

School food service departments have experience following food safety and nutrition guidelines. This makes them strong candidates for serving as a Child and Adult Care Food Program or Summer Food Service Program sponsor.

School meals are nutritious. 1,2 Research shows that students who participate in the school meal programs consume more whole grains, milk, fruits, and vegetables during meal times and have better overall diet quality, than nonparticipants. 1,3 And, eating breakfast at school is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores. ⁴⁻⁷ Meals served through these programs must meet specific nutrition requirements which include fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.

Schools can encourage students to participate in the school meal programs by:

Providing meals that are nutritious and appealing.

Obtaining input from students and parents about items they would like to see served in the meals.

Ensuring that students have adequate time to eat their meal (at least 10 minutes for breakfast and 20 minutes for lunch).

Preventing the overt identification of students who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.

1. Fox MK, Gearan E, Cabili C, et al. School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study, Final Report Volume 4: Student Participation, Satisfaction, Plate Waste, and Dietary Intakes. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support; 2019. https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-nutrition-and-meal-cost-study

2. Gearan EC, Fox MK. Updated nutrition standards have significantly improved the nutritional quality of school lunches and breakfasts. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2020;120(3):363-370.

3. Kinderknecht K, Harris C, Jones-Smith J. Association of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act with Dietary Quality Among Children in the US National School Lunch Program. JAMA. 2020;324(4):359-368.

4. Murphy JM, Pagano MR, Nachmani J, Sperling P, Kane S, Kleinman RR. The relationship of school breakfast to psychosocial and academic functioning. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 1998;152:899-107.

5. Murphy JM, Pagano M, Bishop SJ. Impact of a universally-free, in-classroom school breakfast program on achievement: Result from the Abell Foundation's Baltimore Breakfast Challenge Program. Boston, MA: Massachusetts General Hospital; 2001.

6. Murphy JM, Drake JE, Weineke KM. Academics and Breakfast Connection Pilot: Final report on New York's classroom breakfast project. Albany, NY: Nutrition Consortium of New York; 2005.

7. Myers A, Sampson A, Weitzman M, Rogers B, Kayne H. School Breakfast Program and School Performance. Am J Dis Child, 1989;143:1234-9.

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centers for disease control and prevention

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All students can participate in school meal programs, and some students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Programs like the National School Lunch Program's Afterschool Snack Service, the At-Risk Snack and Meals component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) offer financial support to provide children and youths with nutritious snacks and meals.