The hallways echo with the sound of middle schoolers chatting in between classes and slamming their lockers tight. Many students head out to the outdoor door patio while others choose to stay indoors during their break. Eager for lunch, the students grab turkey sandwiches, apples, baked chips and carrots and sit down with their peers.
Sounds like an average school lunch at Belvedere Middle School. However, in 2005 before the Los Angeles Unified School District launched a school-based obesity and diabetes initiative, the general lunches mirrored something more along the lines of pizza, french fries, cookies and soda. According to the L.A. Health Trends of the County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services, there was a steady increase from 18.9 percent in 1999 to 23.3 percent in 2005 of child obesity. It was evident that a change was in order especially in East Los Angeles. According to the County of Los Angeles Public Health's Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology, East Los Angeles was the third highest city with child obesity prevalence in 2011 out of the 88 cities in L.A. county. There needed to be positive impact on the obesity epidemic in L.A.U.S.D immediately.
The school district along with United States Department of Agriculture, the Southside Coalition and Children's Hospital Los Angeles released their Student Health and Human Services program to benefit physical education within schools and the food services devision.
Belvedere Middle School was one of those 35 schools in the L.A.U.S.D. school system who received a school-wide promotional wellness campaign, structured physical fitness activities, physical education training for school teachers and health conscious classes and screenings for parents. As one of the oldest schools in the east Los Angeles area, the Home of the Olympians has revamped their school's menu and physical activities and their progress improves everyday according to Maricella Garcia, the Assistant Principal.
These changes have not only led to healthier students but also a healthier community. Surrounded by fast food chains advertising cheap and satisfying food, students chose to eat there after school, even with their families. But now families with students, like the sixth, seventh and eighth graders at Belvedere, are aware of healthier choices and even cook at home.
With L.A.U.S.D. leading the way, a network for a healthy California has been established with events such as Harvest of the Month, which allows students opportunities to taste and explore a different fruit or vegetable each month in the classroom and chef and farmer visits to classrooms to explain how healthy produce is farmed and how broccoli and brussels sprouts can truly taste good.
Belvedere, at the heart of East Los Angeles, has succeeded with the L.A.U.S.D solution but still has room for improvement. Although the most recent data shows the percentage of obesity for children has stabilized, it still hasn't decreased substantially according to the L.A. Health Trends. With the ban of fryers, trans fat, junk food, soda and implementation of fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains, the change in the students' diet has increased.
However, the physical education aspect could improve through more organized extracurricular activities. Outside the jurisdiction of the physical education courses, there is little opportunity for Belvedere students to compete on teams of various sports. Although the school has club teams and "Walk and Bike To School Days," a more structured extracurricular athletic system is in dire need. The parks and fields surrounding the school remain unused and even serve as hub for taxi drivers to meet up and "hang out."
With the Children's Hospital Los Angeles' Diabetes and Obesity Community Engagement support to curb the rates of overweight young adults, there is hope to see the percentage not only stabilize but steadily decrease.
To start "moving" on that now, the L.A.U.S.D Wellness Center is holding the "Move It!" Challenge at Dodger Stadium at 8am on Saturday, Nov. 22. According to the L.A.U.S.D. Wellness Center press release, the day will consist of health and nutrition workshops, aerobic zones, healthy food trucks, a 5k and health festival to raise funds for the school district to keep the movement "moving."