On July 29, 2016, USDA released the Final Rule on Local School Wellness Policy Implementation under the Healthy, Hunger Free Act of 2010.
Since 2006, all schools that participate in the federally supported school meal programs must develop and implement a local school wellness policy. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 expanded the scope of local school wellness policies by requiring additional stakeholders for development, implementation and review. It also requires updates to the public on the content and implementation of the school’s wellness policies. The intent is to strengthen local school wellness policies so they become useful tools in evaluating, establishing, and maintaining healthy school environments, and to provide interested stakeholders necessary information on what the policies contain and are implemented.
A school wellness policy must address:
- Goals for nutrition education
- Goals for physical activity
- Nutrition guidelines for all foods available at school
- Goals for other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness
- Plans for evaluating implementation of the policy
For more information on the USDA regulation, visit the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website. Great resources can also be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) local wellness policies page.