EDPE 506 - Teaching Healthy Habits to Prevent Childhood Obesity (3)

It’s no secret that America has an obesity problem, or that obesity can impact even our youngest students. Overweight children endure long-term physical, psychological, and social problems, and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to address these issues in a classroom setting. However, as a teacher, you can have a profound impact on preventing childhood obesity and helping obese children in your classroom.

In this course, you will examine the underlying causes of obesity in children and adolescents, including changes in food patterns, food availability, and decreased exercise in and out of schools. Knowledge of these contributing factors and their adverse consequences will help you better identify, assess, and combat the root causes of a child’s obesity. In addition, you will learn how to integrate healthy lifestyle choices into a curriculum to encourage healthy habits for students. You will also explore ways to plan and advocate for healthy habits in the school community, such as school and community gardens, activity breaks in the regular classroom, and collaborative teaching strategies.

Using the techniques from this course, you will be able to promote healthy choices that can positively impact students for the rest of their lives.