Improving nutrition for underserved students

Good nutrition is essential for the overall health and well-being of all individuals, but it is especially important for students in underserved communities. Students who do not have access to healthy, nutritious meals may struggle with academic performance, behavior, and overall health.

There are several reasons why good nutrition is especially important for socioeconomically disadvantaged students. First, these students may not have access to the same resources as their more privileged peers. Many underserved students come from low-income families and may not have the means to purchase healthy, high-quality foods. This can lead to a reliance on cheap, unhealthy options, such as fast food and processed snacks, which can contribute to the development of chronic health conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

In addition to physical health, good nutrition is also essential for mental health and academic performance. Proper nutrition can help students concentrate and focus in school, leading to better grades and overall academic success. Malnutrition, on the other hand, can lead to cognitive impairments, such as difficulty with problem-solving and memory, which can make it harder for students to learn and succeed in school.

There are several ways that schools and communities can help ensure that underserved students have access to healthy, nutritious meals. For example, Los Angeles Unified has implemented school meal programs that provide free or reduced-priced meals to low-income students. These programs help ensure that all students have access to healthy food, regardless of their family's income level.

The L.A. Trust works with students in 19 schools located in underserved communities throughout Los Angeles to advocate for healthy living and nutrition. Funded by the L.A. Trust, adult allies work in schools with student health leaders to provide materials, resources, and mentorship to students. Funded by the L.A. Trust, student health leaders plan and implement outreach campaigns to reach peers, model, and influence healthy behaviors.

Another option is to work with local organizations and community members to establish food pantries, farmers markets, and other resources that provide healthy, affordable food options for underserved students and their families. This can help address food insecurity and improve access to healthy foods in underserved communities.

Good nutrition is essential for the overall health and well-being of underserved students. By implementing programs and resources that provide access to healthy, nutritious meals, schools and communities can help ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed academically and live healthy, fulfilling lives.

Distance-learning physical education taught surprising lessons

A year of distance-learning PE taught school leaders and teachers valuable lessons, according to a new report from The L.A. Trust, L.A. Unified and UCLA. 

Physical education was even more critical to students’ physical and emotional engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report funded by the L.A. Dodgers Foundation and published in the Journal of School Health. 

The report — Teachers’ and School Leaders’ Perspective on Distance Learning Physical Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic — was a collaboration between UCLA, The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health and Los Angeles Unified. It was written by Dr. Rebecca Dudovitz, board member of The L.A. Trust and associate professor, David Geffen School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics at UCLA; Jocelyn Vilchez, Physical Education K-12 Specialist, Los Angeles Unified Division of Instruction; Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The L.A. Trust; and John Kruse, director of physical education at LAUSD.  

Dudovitz said, “Many of the lessons learned during distance learning will enhance physical education moving forward, including a deeper focus on educational standards, emphasizing the integration of physical education into students’ daily lives, use of technology to enhance learning, and the importance of social-emotional learning as a core component of physical education.”   

Maryjane Puffer of The L.A. Trust said, “This report recognizes the creativity and hard work our students and physical education teachers put in during the pandemic. We know that PE is good for students — we must devote more time and invest more resources to this, especially in our under-served schools.” 

Speaking to experts 

Using purposive and snowball sampling, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 physical education teachers and school health experts across 21 California school districts on best practices for physical education via distance learning.  

Four major themes emerged, the report stated: Participants felt high-quality physical education via distance learning was both critical and possible; strategies for creating a successful distance learning environment included personalization, creativity and inclusiveness; and resources necessary for success included professional development, administrative support and equipment.  

“I was surprised that overwhelmingly, our participants felt that high-quality physical education was possible during distance learning, and (by) the real enthusiasm for creativity and new learning approaches the pandemic motivated,” Dudovitz said. But “many participants also described the unequal access to physical fitness many low-income students faced and the high need for social-emotional support. They also described feeling the physical education was often under-valued, relative to core academic subjects,” she added. 

The report’s bottom line: “Participants identified effective strategies, challenges, and recommendations for the future; felt optimistic about their ability to provide quality physical education via distance learning given the necessary supports; and perceived that they played a critical role in supporting student health during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Watts Healthare COVID RX: Exercise, mindfulness and relaxation

Dr. Oliver Brooks, chief medical officer of Watts Healthcare, recommends a diet of exercise, mindfulness and a bit of fun during the current stay-at-home orders

These are challenging times. We’re wondering when we will go back to school or work, see our friends and be able to get together.

Dr. Oliver Brooks, chief medical officer of Watts Healthcare Corporation, notes that regular physical activity can increase self-esteem and reduce stress, depression and anxiety. People who participate in daily physical activity have an approximate 20 to 30 percent lower risk for depression.

A good fitness goal is low-intensity aerobic exercise for 30-35 minutes, 3 to 5 days per week. If you’re feeling more energetic, you can take this fitness challenge and see how many rounds of these four exercises you can complete in 10 minutes (25 repetitions each): Squats, jumping jacks, high knees and push-ups (if you’re not in shape, take it slow).

Relax…

Brooks recommended controlled breathing exercises, mindfulness, relaxing body exercises and the practice of opposite action to counteract stress.

Watts Healthcare suggested a weekly self-care schedule, including fun activities such as:

• Communicating with friends/family on video

• Taking a walk/run

• Journaling

• Stretching

• Painting and drawing

• Picking up an old hobby or creating a new one

• Organizing your room or house

• Engaging in deep breathing activities

• Eat something healthy and delicious

• Drinking something healthy and delicious

• Making a new recipe

• Trying a new hair style

As Buddha said, “To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise, we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”

CalFresh and The L.A. Trust help families keep it fresh during shutdown

The L.A. Trust has expanded its nutrition education to include Facebook Live workshops and healthy online cooking videos.

The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health has moved its CalFresh student and community outreach programs online and to the field to help families eat healthy during the coronavirus shutdown.

The L.A. Trust Nutrition team is holding weekly one-hour workshops on Facebook Live hosted by Program Manager Esther Yepez and Health Educator Lillian Orta:

English-language workshops  Every Thursday at 3 p.m. until July 2
Spanish-language workshops Every Friday at 12 p.m. until July 3

The workshops feature information on healthy food options, pantry cooking and smart shopping. “We know that it can be hard to shop fresh right now,” Yepez said. “We want to demonstrate how to maintain or even improve nutritious eating during this shutdown period.” The L.A. Trust has conducted 12 nutrition workshops and hosted one informational workshop reaching 5,253 people on Facebook so far.

The Spanish-language informational workshop featured guest speaker Betzabel Estudillo of the California Food Policy Advocates and discussed expanded EBT benefits and other COVID-19 resources.

The L.A. Trust has also posted fresh and healthy cooking videos on Vimeo to help families eat fresh and stretch their food dollars, with more coming soon:

French Toast Sticks with Berry Syrup (English and Spanish)
Brussels Sprout Hash & Eggs (English and Spanish)
Mango Chicken Stirfry (English and Spanish)

The L.A. Trust has distributed free grocery bags, gloves, and 900 recipe cards to the Fremont Free Food Fair, a food distribution site The L.A. Trust has supported to address food insecurity over the past several years. The Fremont Free Food Fair is organized by the UMMA Community clinic, Community Health Councils and Food Forward.

Working with CalFresh

Through CalFresh Healthy Living, The L.A. Trust has also purchased more than 2,800 cookbooks to be given away at four food distribution sites: Peace Chapel Church; Macedonia Church in Watts; Community Health Councils; and Girls Club of Los Angeles. These cookbooks will be given away in food bags distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The L.A. Trust is proud to partner with CalFresh Healthy Living to help our students and families eat well and get access to healthy foods,” Program Manager Nina Nguyen said. “There is tremendous interest in healthy eating in our communities, and we are excited to keep this outreach going virtually during the current coronavirus closures.”

CalFresh Healthy Living is the largest nutrition education program in the United States. More than one-third of California residents are eligible for CalFresh Healthy Living, California’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed), which strives to improve the health of eligible Californians through education and healthy community changes. CalFresh Healthy Living offers critical resources for Californians to lead healthier lives and provides opportunities to enjoy more fresh produce.

The L.A. Trust delivers nourishing ideas to LAUSD communities

L.A. Trust Health Educator Lillian Orta shares nutrition ideas and recipes with community members at the Fremont High School Fresh Food Fair. 

On a brilliant November morning, neighborhood residents are lined up near the UMAA Fremont Wellness Center to get into the Free Food Fair at Fremont High in South Los Angeles. The Fair offers pumpkins, mangoes, squash, lettuce and other fresh produce—and nutrition, health and recipe advice from The L.A. Trust’s Program Director Nina Nguyen and Health Educator Lillian Orta.

It’s all part of The L.A. Trust’s school and community outreach on behalf of CalFresh Healthy Living. The state program, formerly known as Champions for Change, is a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) initiative that supports healthy, active and nourished lifestyles by teaching low-income Californians about good nutrition and how to stretch their food dollars, while also “building partnerships in communities to make the healthy choice.”

In the field

The L.A. Trust works with LAUSD and the District’s school-based Wellness Centers to carry the CalFresh Healthy Living message to students and community members both. “It’s really rewarding to be a CalFresh Healthy Living partner,” said Nguyen. “Good health starts with good nutrition, and people really get engaged in our outreach,” she said. “It doesn’t hurt that fresh food looks and tastes so much better than cheap processed food.” 

Since October, Nguyen, Orta and L.A. Trust Program Manager Esther Yepez have travelled across Los Angeles to talk to students and community members about nutrition, physical activity and healthy beverage options (hint: water is better than soda). By March 2020, the team will have conducted 50  classroom sessions and appeared at two community events and two school events at five different sites in the District. They’ve also distributed thousands of brochures and recipe books in Spanish and English.   

“Eating healthy and staying active helps prevent so many long-term health issues—from tooth decay to obesity and diabetes,” Rico said. “In most instances, motivation is not the problem. Getting and preparing fresh food on a budget is the challenge, and we’re proud to partner with CalFresh Healthy Living to support our communities in meeting that challenge.”