| Childhood health risk behaviors, namely poor diet, limited physical activity, and a general lack of social-emotional health, have so affected this generation of children that rates of obesity and related illnesses are statistically, medically, and socially viewed as an epidemic. Federally mandated school wellness policies were enacted as a response to this epidemic and are designed to use school attendance as an opportunity to improve the overall health of children and adolescents. Thus, as research shows that there is a relationship between childhood health and academics, this study will historically analyze the events and reasons that led to the creation of school wellness policy, as well as inform current and future instructional leaders of their role in implementing the policy. This historical analysis will document the relevant data regarding the regulation of child nutrition, the school-aged youth health data that was used to justify federally mandated school wellness policies, the goals established within the wellness policy, the strategies used to implement local school wellness policies, the supports and obstacles that exist with regard to locally implementing the policy, and the effect of policy implementation on current and future instructional leaders. |
