INShape Indiana Focuses on School Wellness

INDIANAPOLIS, IN ­- Educators, public health advocates, and members of the business community were in attendance at the fourth annual INShape Indiana Health Summit Wednesday October 15, 2008 at Indiana University in Bloomington. "Healthy Schools, Healthy Indiana," this year's theme, focused on improving the health of Indiana's students and school employees.

Governor Mitch Daniels made opening remarks at the Summit.  He was joined by State Health Commissioner Judy Monroe, M.D.; Karen Hanson, Provost & Executive Vice President for Indiana University, Bloomington; Robert M. Goodman, Ph.D., Dean of the Indiana University School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation; and Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Suellen Reed (via video presentation).

"Schools are another place we can reach people wholesale, which makes the theme of today's summit so appropriate," said Gov. Daniels. "This summit can be one of the most productive things we do if we find things that work on a broad scale. The success we've had so far is satisfying in its way, but we want to see those needles which are barely tilting towards the positive go in a great and bold direction."

Featured national speakers were Gene R. Carter, executive director for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and Howell Wechsler, director of the Division of Adolescent & School Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Following opening remarks, the Summit's presentations included:

• ·         "The Learning Compact Redefined:  A Call to Action;"
• ·         "National Means and Resources to Improve Indiana School Health Programs;"
• ·         "Improving the Health of Indiana School Teachers, Administrators and Employees;"
• ·         "How to Build a Health Promoting School: Two Indiana School Districts;"
• ·         "Various Resources to Help Build Health Promoting Schools;"
• ·         "Healthy Kids Make Healthy Results: Solutions & Tools for the Greater Community;" and
• ·         "Can We Improve the Health and Education of Indiana School Students?"

"Healthy children learn better and healthy school employees are more productive," said Dr. Monroe.  "However, schools cannot do it alone.  They need the support of their communities, including parents, health care providers, community organizations, and businesses.

"My first call to action is for parents, businesses, faith-based organizations, health care providers, and other community organizations to contact the Coordinated School Health Advisory Council for your local school corporation and find out what you can do to promote school wellness, both for students and school employees," said Dr. Monroe.

According to the 2007 Youth Risk Behaviors Survey, high school students in Indiana showed an increase in the percentage of students who were physically active and a decrease in the amount of television being watched.  However, the same health survey showed a greater percentage of Indiana's high school students are overweight than the national average.  The same was true for the percentage who reported having used tobacco. 

"We have seen some positive changes in the habits of young people in our state recently, but clearly there is still work to be done," said Dr. Reed.  "Physical activity in adolescents has consistently been related to higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of anxiety and stress - each of which has been associated with better academic performance.  Healthy students are healthy learners."

The 2008 INShape Indiana Health Summit at Indiana University was sponsored by platinum sponsor UnitedHealthcare. UnitedHealthcare (www.unitedhealthcare.com) provides a full spectrum of consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services to individuals, public sector employers and businesses of all sizes, including more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. 

"We did not become a country of overweight Americans overnight," said Dr. Jeffrey Beardmore, medical director, UnitedHealthcare of Indiana.  "It is crucial that we teach our children the right way to be as healthy as possible, and to do it for the right reasons.  If they learn and adopt healthy habits early in life they are set up for healthier adulthood."

The Summit was also supported by gold sponsors Clarian Health and Kroger, silver sponsor IU Department of Kinesiology, and bronze sponsors Cook Medical and WFIU (103.7 FM).

"Indiana University Bloomington is delighted to host the 2008 INShape Indiana Health Summit," said Karen Hanson, provost & executive vice president, Indiana University Bloomington.  "We're honored to welcome representatives of Indiana's state government and leading experts on health and education from around the nation.  We hope the summit will mark the beginning of an ongoing partnership - between school systems, educators, students, parents, and communities - to promote the healthy habits that help young Hoosiers to be successful in school and life."

INShape Indiana also held summits in 2005, 2006, and 2007 focusing on disease prevention and improving health in Indiana.

Source: Indiana State Department of Health