The Research:
Correlation Between Social, Emotional, Physical, Nutritional, Financial Well-being and Academic Performance
“Obesity now affects 18.5% of all children and adolescents in the United States Triple the rate from just one generation ago” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2020
Today, obesity is one of the most pressing health concerns for children. Nearly one-third of children and teens, more than 23 million kids, are overweight or obese — and physical inactivity is a leading contributor to the epidemic. The Surgeon General recommends children should engage in 60 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week. Despite this, only six states require physical education (PE) in every grade, and only 20% of school districts require daily recess. (Trost) Schools serve as an excellent venue to provide students with the opportunity for daily physical activity, to teach the importance of regular physical activity for health, nutrition, and to build skills that support active lifestyles. Unfortunately, most children get little to no regular physical activity while in school. Budgetary constraints and increasing pressure to improve standardized test scores have caused school officials to question the value of PE and other physical activity programs. This has led to a substantial reduction in the time available for PE, and in some cases, school-based physical activity programs have been eliminated (Trost).
Nutrition
Nutrition is another important aspect that can best be addressed through the schools, since kids consume about 50% of their daily calories there. Did you know?
• 60% of obese children between 5 – 10 have at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor
• 30% of boys and 40% of girls born in 2000 are at risk of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes
A plant-based diet can help address these health risk factors, and lead to better fitness. People on plant based diets typically have:
• Lower blood pressure and cholesterol
• Better glycemic control
• Improved blood viscosity which helps more oxygen reach muscles
• Reduced weight (Barnard)
THE HIP HOP HEALTHY HEART PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN™
creates and opportunity to bridge this gap by bringing physical activity, nutrition, and health into the daily curriculum.
Physical Well-Being
THE HIP HOP HEALTHY HEART PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN™
provides modules that introduce a healthy and physically active lifestyle as a part of the daily curriculum.
Recent studies have found a strong correlation between aerobic fitness and academic performance as measured by grades in core subjects and standardized test scores (ACA, ADA, AHA). The chart represents the strong correlation between the “Fitnessgram” standards, currently used in California and Texas, with their relative lSAT scores. Physically active and educated children are more likely to thrive academically and socially (CDC).
Social Well-Being
In a 2019 nationally representative sample of youth in grades 9-12:
• 8% of high schoolers reported being in a physical fight on school property in the 12 months preceding the survey.
• 20% reported being bullied on school property
• 7% had been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property • 9% did not go to school on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to or from school.
• 3% reported carrying a weapon (gun, knife, or club) on school property on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey. (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control)
Statistics like those on school violence have a direct effect on attendance, involvement in school activities and overall academic performance on all children, but especially those in K – 6th grades. They have not yet developed the necessary skills to cope. To have the most positive impact on adolescent health, schools and other community members must work together in a comprehensive approach. Providing safe and nurturing environments for our nation’s youth can help ensure that adolescents will be healthy and productive members of society. With bullying and school violence hanging over their heads, kids need coping skills, like meditation, to deal with the anxiety. A 2019 study of meditation in elementary school students indicated that mindfulness seems to lower anxiety and may strengthen cognitive skills. (Shanok)
THE HIP HOP HEALTHY HEART PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN™
provides modules that introduce a lifestyle as a part of the daily curriculum that build positive social skills at a young age. Families, schools, and communities all need to work together to create an environment that facilitates healthy development of children and adolescents. Research has shown that students who feel more connected to school are more likely to have positive health and education outcomes.
Financial Well-Being
Lastly, but by no means least. Hip Hop Healthy Heart Program for Children™ addresses the issue of financial literacy among our youth. Though young people in America have struggled for decades with financial literacy, state curricula have not shifted much to address the gaps.
Fewer than half of states make high school students take an economics class, and 21 now require a personal finance class, according to a 2019 survey by the Council for Economic Education. In those states, though, the payoff is clear: Students who had taken such courses were more likely to go on saving money and pay off a credit card bill in full each month, and less likely to be compulsive buyers, max out credit cards and make late payments (Malcolm).
THE HIP HOP HEALTHY HEART PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN™
provides a module as a part of the curriculum that introduces financial literacy to develop habits at the earliest stages. To ensure that rising generations have the tools to be financially successful, financial literacy experts and advocates say that education must start in the early years.
THE HIP HOP HEALTHY HEART PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN™
literacy
THE HIP HOP HEALTHY HEART PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN™ not only exceeds the Surgeon Generals recommendation of 60 minutes of daily physical activity but provides a well- rounded comprehensive curriculum that provides healthy and active lifestyles, social skills, and financial literacy.
REFERENCES
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ACA, ADA, AHA. "Learning for Life: Physical Education in Schools." Fact Sheet. 2010.
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Malcolm, Hadley. Millennials struggle with financial literacy. 24 April 2012. 25 3 2015.
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Medicine, Institute of. Educating the Student Body. Report Brief. Washington DC: National Academy of Sciences, 2013. Document.
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National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Youth Violence: Facts at a Glance. Fact Sheet. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019.
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Trost, Stewart G. Active Education: Physical Education, Physical Activity and Academic Performance. Research Brief. San Diego: Active Living Research, 2009.
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Barnard, N.D.; Goldman, D.M.; Loomis, J.F.; Kahleova, H.; Levin, S.M.; Neabore, S.; Batts, T.C. Plant-Based Diets for Cardiovascular Safety and Performance in Endurance Sports. Nutrients 2019, 11, 130.
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Shanok, N. A., Reive, C., Mize, K. D., & Jones, N. A. (2020). Mindfulness meditation intervention alters neurophysiological symptoms of anxiety and depression in preadolescents. Journal of Psychophysiology, 34(3), 159–170.
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https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/vistas/the-effects-of-violence-on-academic-progress-andclassroom-behavior.pdf?sfvrsn=1828de3f_12