Fuel Up to Play 60 is a free, in-school program addressing childhood obesity. Linked to nutrient-poor, or "junk food" diets and not getting enough daily physical activity, childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S.^1,2 Climbing obesity rates increase children's risk for diet-related chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.^3,4,5 Fuel Up to Play 60 is unique as it empowers youth, Grades 4 -10, to take an active role and take ownership in making healthy eating and physical activity changes for themselves, their classmates and their school.

How Fuel Up to Play 60 Was Created
The program, provided by National Dairy Council® (NDC) and the National Football League (NFL), included youth input, to assure it was on-target to appeal directly to kids. So Fuel Up to Play 60 combines the powerful nutrition expertise of NDC, the fitness expertise and "star power" of the NFL and the "youth power" that students themselves contributed! It is structured so the entire school community can participate in order to create sustainable healthy behavior change.

Bring Your Expertise to the Program
Your expertise and guidance as a Physical Education teacher is vital to help engage and empower students to "fuel up" with the nutrient-rich foods they often lack - low-fat and fat-free milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains - and "get up and play" for 60 minutes daily. The important role that physical activity plays in children's health is in the spotlight.

• The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends 60 minutes or more of physical activity daily for children and adolescents.⁶
• A national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly 62 percent of children aged 9-13 years do not participate in any organized physical activity during their non-school hours and almost 23 percent do not engage in any free-time physical activity.⁷
• Good nutrition and physical activity habits can lead to better academic achievement and test scores.⁸
• The school environment is critical in teaching healthy habits because meals and snacks consumed at school provide one-third to 50 percent of a student's daily nutritional needs.⁹

The Fuel Up to Play 60 program themes are ideal for integration in your classes, but take physical activity to a whole new level by providing opportunities to incorporate it before, during, and after school, and even at home! Fuel Up to Play 60 is the perfect avenue for students to put their learning into action!

Tools to Guide Students to Take Action
The Fuel Up to Play 60 program begins with a FREE School Wellness Kit, new for 2010-11, that has in-school display materials and start-up strategies as a first step toward rallying the entire school community to participate. However, there is so much more, including the www.FuelUpToPlay60.com Web site that offers a Playbook and online resources, and an eNewsletter. As an adult leader, you play the indispensible role of working with the students and other adult stakeholders to help customize the program and turn these ideas into realities. Here's how:

• See if your school has enrolled and received the FREE 2010-11 School Wellness Kit at www.FuelUpToPlay60.com > Enroll Your School.
  • If the kit hasn't been received, enroll for the Kit, become the Program Advisor, log in with your email address at www.FuelUpToPlay60.com > Program Advisor Login, and start getting your student team and other adult leaders together.
  • If the kit has been received, get involved by enrolling for the online resources at www.FuelUpToPlay60.com > Enroll Your School, then enter your email address to find out who your school's Program Advisor is, who the other adult leaders enrolled are, and work with them to implement the program.
• Check out all the Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Strategies in the Playbook and network with students and adult leaders to see which ones work best for your school. (Remember, materials are written for the student audience.)
• Encourage students to participate in Fuel Up to Play 60 by going to www.FuelUptoPlay60.com > For Students, where they can register for the program, take the pledge, track healthy eating and physical activity, learn all about the program and get involved.

References:

1. World Health Organization. Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. Report of a joint WHO/FAO consultation. Geneva, Switzerland. 2003. Technical report 916. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/WHO_trs_916.pdf, accessed on 2/8/10.
2. Physical activity and the health of young people. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. 2006. http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/physicalactivity/facts.htm., accessed on 2/8/10
3. Kumanyika SK, Obarzanek E, Stettler N, Bell R, Field AE, Fortmann SP, Franklin BA, Gillman MW, Lewis CE, Poston WC, Stevens J, Hong Y. Population-based prevention of obesity. The need for comprehensive promotion of healthful eating, physical activity, and energy balance. A scientific statement from American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, Interdisciplinary Committee for Prevention. Circulation 2008;118:428-64.
4. De Ferranti SD, Gauvreau K, Ludwig D, Neufeld EJ, Newburger JW, Rifai N. Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in American adolescents. Findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Circulation, 2004;110:2494-2497.
5. Cruz ML, Goran MI. The metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents. Current Diabetes Reports 2004;4:53-62.
6. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: United States, 2008. http://www.health.gov/PAGuidelines/pdf/paguide.pdf, accessed on 2/8/10.
7. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical activity levels among children aged 9-13 years: United States, 2002. J Am Med Assoc, 2003;290:1308-9.
8. Action for Healthy Kids, The Learning Connection: The Value of Improving Nutrition and Physical Activity in Our Schools. Available at http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/files/learning-connection.pdf, accessed on 2/8/10.
9. Position of the American Dietetic Association, Society for Nutrition Education, and American School Food Service Association-Nutrition services: An essential component of comprehensive school health programs, Journal of American Dietetic Association, 103 (4): 505-514 (April 2003).

© 2010 National Dairy Council®. Fuel Up is a service mark of National Dairy Council. Fuel Up to Play 60 and the Fuel Up to Play 60 logo are trademarks and service marks of the National Football League. © 2010 NFL Properties, LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League.