Indiana Action for Healthy Kids

About AFHK

Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is a nationwide initiative dedicated to improving the health and educational performance of children through better nutrition and physical activity in schools.  This effort represents a response to our nation's epidemic of overweight, sedentary, and undernourished children and adolescents.  Healthy schools produce healthy students--and healthy students are better able to learn and achieve their true potential. 

National Action for Healthy Kids Web Site

Why now?

The incidence of childhood overweight and obesity has tripled over the past 20 years.  A prevention strategy is crucial.  School is a structured environment where it is possible to have a powerful influence on children's eating and activity patterns.  And, schools provide equality of access to information in settings where families differ in their levels of knowledge and ability to discuss nutritional and physical activity needs.

Who We Are

At the 2002 Healthy Schools Summit in Washington, D.C., Former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher asked America to address this burgeoning crisis-and Action for Healthy Kids was formed to answer.

A public-private partnership of more than 50 national organizations and government agencies representing education, health, fitness and nutrition, Action for Healthy Kids addresses the epidemic of overweight, sedentary, and undernourished youth by focusing on changes in schools.

Thousands of volunteer administrators, educators, health professionals, parents, and others take action at the state, district, and school level through Action for Healthy Kids' State Teams in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Through this network, Action for Healthy Kids works to improve nutrition and increase physical activity in schools. Because healthy children learn better.
 

What We Do

AFHK has three major thrusts:

• Improving children's eating habits by increasing access to nutritious foods and beverages throughout the school campus and by integrating nutrition education into the curriculum.

• Increasing children's physical activity by adding or maintaining physical education courses and recess, and promoting after-school and co-curricular programs.

• Educating administrators, teachers, children and parents about how nutrition and physical activity impact children's health and academic achievement.

Indiana Action for Healthy Kids

Indiana Action for Healthy Kids was formed in October 2002 immediately following the Healthy Schools Summit in Washington DC.  The Team's primary focus is dedicated to improving the health and educational performance of children through better nutrition and physical activity in Hoosier schools.  This effort represents a response to our state's epidemic of overweight, sedentary, and undernourished children and adolescents.  Healthy schools produce healthy students--and healthy students are better able to learn and achieve their true potential.  

The Indiana State Team’s infrastructure consists of three levels to foster sharing and collaboration among diverse groups to encourage and facilitate meaningful change in schools.  The first level is the national organization which provides overall guidance and resources to implement our mission and goals.  The second level is the State Team Steering Committee which provides leadership to the Indiana State Team by creating a state-wide action plan, recognizing schools for their efforts in improving the school health environment, and communicating initiatives.  The third level is regional teams that create change at the local level through the development and implementation of regional action plans.  Examples of regional actions include—develop wellness teams and policies, develop and implement after-school physical activity and walking programs, and provide healthy vending tools. 

The main focus areas of the Indiana State Team are: 

• Award schools for making positive changes in their school health environment through the Healthy Hoosier School Award. 

• Improve school children’s eating habits by increasing access to nutritious foods and beverages on school grounds while reducing access to those high-calorie, low-nutrient options, as well as by integrating nutrition education into the curriculum for all school children. 

• Increase schoolchildren’s physical activity through physical education courses, recess, the integration of physical activity into academic classes, after school, and co-curricular fitness programs. 

• Educate administrators, educators, students, and parents about the role of sound nutrition and physical activity in academic achievement. 

• Seeks to locate and secure national, state, and local financial support to provide local assistance to support the sustainability of school initiatives. 

• Provide resources for schools to empower change.   

Through this website, you can stay abreast of the latest resources to assist Hoosier schools in becoming not just a learningful environment, but a healthful one as well.  In addition, you can find Best Practices and successes from other schools in Indiana and model your school's environment after the Healthy Hoosier Schools.