Manitoba’s Healthy Schools initiative identifies six areas that are priorities in the province. They include healthy eating, physical activity, sexual health, mental health, safety and injury prevention and substance abuse and addictions (Manitoba Healthy Schools, n.d.). Although societal, familial, peer and cultural pressures may impact all areas, those that can be more easily assessed in terms of what is being provided to students, are the opportunities for physical activity on school grounds as well as the food made available within the building. Overall, John Taylor Collegiate provides many opportunities for students to be physically active; however, other aspects of comprehensive school health, such as healthy eating, are lacking. 

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Physical Activity at John Taylor Collegiate

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In order to receive a provincial diploma in Manitoba, a PE credit is mandatory in all grades from 9-12. As such, “those who [are] enrolled in PE [have] slightly higher levels of MVPA, but [have] almost 2 times the odds of meeting the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for Children and Youth.” (ParticipACTION Report Card, 2015).  In addition to a standard PE class, the school offers classes for a variety of interests, including Female Fitness, Principles and Foundations of Exercise, Elite Training and Sustainable Wilderness (John Taylor Collegiate Common Course Book, 2018). With such a variety of specialty PE classes, students have many opportunities to partake in courses that promote physical health, which are suited to their interests and abilities. This is significant, as “students are more willing to participate in physical activity if they have the opportunity to collaborate with school staff in deciding the type of physical activity to be undertaken” (Physical Activity within a Comprehensive School Health Approach, 2009). As choice is significant to students and their involvement in physical exercise, the classes, if the numbers permit it, are often divided into two groups (each student choosing their preference out of the two options provided).

     In addition to PE classes, John Taylor Collegiate offers a number of activities and programs that promote healthy living through physical activity. The school offers organized team sports for the following: hockey, cross country running, basketball, volleyball, rugby, badminton, ultimate Frisbee, baseball, beach volleyball and track and field.

     Such offerings at John Taylor are supplemented by a variety of intramural sports occurring over the 1-hour lunch period. These include, but are not exclusive to, badminton, touch football, volleyball, and basketball. Thus, student athletes, if enrolled in a PE class and participating in organized sport, could potentially be engaging in 3-4 hours of MVPA per day, far exceeding the daily recommendation.

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Benefits of Physical Activity

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There are many benefits of participating in such sports, such as developing social skills, leadership skills and improving overall fitness. Additionally, the involvement in organized sports greatly reduces the likelihood of other unhealthy practices because “When children and youth are left alone during [the time period after school] they tend to participate in sedentary activities, high-risk behaviours, and often display poor eating habits” (PHE Canada, n.d.). Perhaps the greatest benefit of participation in varsity sport is the additional longevity to one’s health, as “high school varsity sport participation [is] the strongest predictor of high physical activity levels and good health after 70 years of age” (ParticipACTION Report Card, 2015). This idea is echoed by the Government of Manitoba, as it states that “An increase in youth participation in physical activity will cut health care costs by decreasing future risk related diseases” (Manitoba Healthy Schools, n.d.).

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School Infrastructure and Amenities

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      As aforementioned, the infrastructure of the school, much of which is accessible to students after school hours, also provides opportunities for students to be physically active utilizing such amenities as the outdoor track, weight room, etc. It is important to highlight such amenities, as “focusing on assets and capacities rather than needs and deficiencies… directs energy toward opportunities" (PHE Canada, n.d.). Amenities such as these provide students and staff with opportunities to engage in physical activity. This is significant, as many students either don’t participate in organized sport or quit, “as dropout is largely due to a lack of enjoyment, low perceived competence and an increase in family and intrapersonal pressure” (ParticipACTION Report Card, 2015). Infrastructure, such as a weight room, allows individuals to achieve MVPA without the structure and stigma associated with organized sport. Therefore, one form of MVPA, which can induce stress, can be replaced by another, thereby reducing it. The classes, activities, intramurals and infrastructure all aim to counteract the fact that “For both boys and girls, levels of activity tend to decline as they reach higher grades” (Healthy Living and Healthy Weight Among Canadian Youth, 2006).

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Healthy Eating at John Taylor Collegiate

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     Although John Taylor Collegiate provides ample opportunities for students and staff to engage in the recommended amount of MVPA, there are other priorities of Manitoba’s Healthy Schools that could be greatly improved, particularly in respect to healthy eating. In order for schools to promote healthy diets, their canteens, cafeterias and vending machines should provide healthy options. At John Taylor Collegiate, the only consistently healthy option is the vending machines, as options like chocolate bars, chips and soda have been removed; however, these options, coupled with deep fried foods and sweets, are readily available in the cafeteria.

The checklist on Moving Forward with School Nutrition Guidelines (2014) includes recommendations such as “Deep fried, pan fried and battered/coated foods are not on the daily menu”, “ The ‘daily special’ is used to test new, healthy options and promote variety” and “Deep fried, pan fried, battered/coated foods and/or processed meats are sold no more than one in every 10 daily specials”. These are just three of the many ways that the cafeteria at John Taylor Collegiate fails in providing proper nutrition to students and staff. Although the cafeteria violates divisional policy, the school is contractually bound to allow the cafeteria to operate as it has for the next three years.

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Detriments of Unhealthy Diets

 

     There are many detriments to unhealthy diets that the school should be concerned with, including “overweight and obesity on one hand, and...food-related concerns [that] include dental decay, bone health, and chronic diseases such as diabetes. All are increasingly prevalent in the child age population” (Manitoba School Nutrition Handbook, 2006). Not only are there health concerns, an unhealthy diet has been linked to “poorer learning outcomes” and “significantly poorer attendance and punctuality. Their grades suffer and they are more likely to have behavior problems” (Manitoba School Nutrition Handbook, 2006). Just as participation in varsity sports is an indicator of reduced health issues well into adulthood, the eating habits established during childhood and adolescence can have long term health effects. For example, “Obese children have damaged arteries comparable to those of a 45-year-old adult who had been smoking for more than 10 years” (Manitoba School Nutrition Handbook, 2006). Thus, John Taylor Collegiate, as soon as it is no longer contractually bound to the current food service provider, should reevaluate the nutrition provided to students through the cafeteria for both immediate academic and behavioural benefits, but also for the long-term health benefits. Addressing this pillar of comprehensive health should be of particular concern to Manitobans as “Some 23.8 percent of Manitobans self-report as being obese — a body mass index higher than 30”, which is 5.6% higher than the national percentage (Kusch, 2015).

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Interventions

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Despite a lack of healthy food being provided within the school, many teachers attempt to control the quality of food consumed within their individual classrooms. Many teachers, including myself, disallow the consumption of unhealthy food within the classroom. Additionally, when students attempt to consume something unhealthy, it is often used as a teachable moment. I, for one, will read the nutritional information to a class and point out the number of grams of sugar, for example, that a student is consuming in the bottle of pop he/she has. Additionally, the staff is very health conscious and many teachers partake in intramurals or use the amenities, such as the weight room, during lunch hour. This is significant, as many students are motivated to participate in intramurals or initiate a workout regimen as a result of teachers’ encouragement and the example that is set by the adults in the building.

 

Additionally, the health components of mandatory PE classes address proper nutrition. Students can also enroll in a course, Foods and Nutrition, in order to learn more about healthy eating and have the opportunities to practice cooking healthy meals; however, this is an optional course.

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Conclusion

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Of the two priorities examined, John Taylor Collegiate is providing ample opportunity for  one, physical activity, while falling short on the other, providing on site opportunities for students to eat healthy. Naturally, these are only two of the six priorities; however, they are the two most influential factors contributing to obesity. Naturally, as the six priorities are interconnected, all must be addressed and successfully implemented for comprehensive school health.