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2008 Children's
Agenda
Item 6. OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME
| POLICY RECOMMENDATION: The 2008
Children's Agenda supports making funds available to
support out-of-school programming that demonstrates
collaboration with community partners and that includes
evidence-based physical activity and nutrition
components. |
Support Out-of-School Programming aimed at
Reducing Childhood Obesity
Almost 40% of Oklahoma's children and youth are
either overweight or at risk of being overweight. This epidemic
has dire health and economic consequences for children and the
State of Oklahoma.
Afterschool is a critical part of the solution for combating
childhood obesity! Unstructured, unsupervised out-of-school time
has not only been proven to contribute to childhood obesity but
quality afterschool programs have been shown to reduce childhood
obesity and increase physical activity among participants.
Today, only about 10% of Oklahoma's school children (K-12)
regularly participate in an afterschool program. These low
numbers are due to barriers such as program cost and access.
Among existing programs (2006 survey), only 70% report a focus
on obesity prevention, nutrition, athletics or recreation as
part of their regular afterschool program offerings.
- Children need structured opportunities for physical activity. A
Harvard study following 10,000 children over a four-year period
showed that there was no correlation between reducing the amount
of "screen time" and children's level of physical activity -
meaning that when kids stop watching television, they aren't
choosing to spend more time being physically active.
- Out-of-school time is an obvious time for promoting increased
physical activity for children. Another study revealed that
school is a protective factor for preventing childhood obesity.
It is during the summer months that children gain the most
weight.
- Afterschool programs work! A study found that controlling for
baseline obesity, poverty status and race and ethnicity, the
prevalence of obesity was significantly lower for afterschool
program participants compared to non-participants.
- Oklahoma is beginning to strategically use the afterschool hours
for promoting children's health. The Oklahoma State Department
of Health is implementing an evidence-based afterschool program,
CATCH Kids Club, designed to combat childhood obesity in 20
counties in Oklahoma.
Since Oklahoma's children spend 80% of their waking hours
outside of school, there is no question that addressing the
epidemic of childhood obesity demands an out-of-school time
solution. The added bonus is that quality afterschool programs
have been proven to: increase academic achievement (e.g., higher
test scores), reduce levels of misconduct and aggression, reduce
the use of drugs and alcohol, raise graduation rates and make it
less likely participants will use welfare in the future.
FISCAL NOTE
The Oklahoma State Department of Health is requesting $4,000,000
for the Physical Activity and Nutrition to Reduce Obesity and
Improve Cardio Health initiative, a portion of which is
designated for afterschool activities. The Oklahoma Afterschool
Network is seeking $500,000 through the Oklahoma State
Department of Health to be used for grants to support
comprehensive, community-based afterschool programs that include
an evidence-based obesity reduction component.
Fact Sheet:
After School Programs Aimed at Preventing Childhood Obesity -
Talking Points SB 1612
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