Authorizes schools to screen for childhood obesity as part of their health services

This bill attempts to more fully integrate activities conducted by the Education Department to better educate students and parents on the important economic and health reasons for eating a balanced and nutritious diet. In addition to teaching such Subjects in Health class, the scientific reasons for the importance of having a balanced diet should be presented in science classes such as biology and chemistry. Further, the Department should more actively provide more opportunities for physical recreational activities to foster physical fitness and create an environment so that students are more capable to learn because they have "burned off" energy during recess.

Summary of provisions

Section 1: Amends Education Law section 901 which relates to school health services to be provided. This section expands the types of services that may be provided by school health services to include examining students for the existence, in addition to diseases or disabilities, childhood obesity as defined pursuant to existing Education Law standards contained in section 904.

Section 2: Amends Education Law section 903 to add that school health exams may include a diabetes risk analysis if such child has risk for type 1 or type 2 diabetes, such as obesity, family history of type 2 diabetes, or other factors that heighten the risk of diabetes.

Section 3: Amends Education Law section 918 (4) and (5) which relates to the formation of school district nutrition advisory committees. Under this provision, such advisory committees can study and make recommendations on current nutritional policies of the school district to reduce the incidence of childhood obesity. Further, such advisory committees can make recommendations on educational information that can be provided to parents and guardians of students regarding healthy nutrition and health risks associated with asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other chronic respiratory diseases. Provided further, make recommendations to teachers and other staff as to the dangers of childhood obesity.

Section 4: Amends Education Law section 804-a which relates to the comprehensive School Health Education Demonstration Program. These demonstration programs can be established by individual schools for the development, implementation, evaluation, validation, and

replication of exemplary comprehensive health education programs. This bill expands this demonstration program to include conveying knowledge to students on a host of social conditions to include in addition to adolescent pregnancy, alcohol abuse, truancy, suicide, and substance abuse to also include obesity, asthma, or other chronic respiratory diseases.

Justification

The growing prevalence of overweight and obese children is a crisis that is facing the entire nation. Obesity related health care expenditures in New York are some of the highest in the nation. Further, contrary to the lower prevalence of obesity among adults, children in New York are more likely to be obese or overweight when compared to national trends. Obesity and overweight conditions in individuals are leading to higher incidences of life threatening conditions and substantial economic costs both to the State of New York for health care costs and to employers in lost work time and higher health care costs. Obesity in children tends to manifest itself more widely among poorer children and children whose parents have lower education levels.

The rising incidence of childhood obesity is a serious medical problem that continues to grow, especially among poorer and minority communities. Further, obesity is known to cause or exacerbate a number of serious chronic medical disorders including hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory dysfunction. Nearly 80% of patients with diabetes mellitus are obese, while nearly 70% of diagnosed cases of cardiovascular disease are related to obesity.

While the high prevalence of obesity and overweight conditions is an important public health concern when it affects adults. It should be of heightened concern that this adult affliction is now becoming more common among children. When obesity conditions afflict children this poses, significant quality of life detriments to such persons, reduces the productivity of such individuals over a longer time of their life, and hastens the onset of many chronic conditions that can hurt the quality of life of such persons and their families.

Prior legislative history

Related to S.6423 of 2012 (Klein) that contains a more comprehensive expansion of obesity programs to combat obesity in adults and children. Same as S. 7113 of 2012.

Effective date

Immediate.