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Wellness Policy

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Wellness Policy Guidance

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Federal Rule

New Mexico Administrative Code (NMAC)

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    Resources

    Student Health Advisory Committee

    School Wellness Committees That Work

    Policy Development

    Action for Healthy Kids Through awareness-building and strategic outreach, we bring together parents and educators and equip them with the tools and resources they need to support happier, healthier kids.

    Wellness Policy Development Tool

    Nutrition

    Make Every Bite Count: USDA, HHS Release Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025

    (Washington, D.C., December 29, 2020) – Nutrition in America took a major step forward today with the publication of Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. Jointly published by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) every five years, the guidelines provide science-based recommendations designed to foster healthy dietary patterns for Americans of all ages – from birth through older adults. Importantly, this edition expands the guidance, for the first time including recommended healthy dietary patterns for infants and toddlers.
    “At USDA and HHS, we work to serve the American people – to help every American thrive and live healthier lives through access to healthy foods and providing nutrition recommendations,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “With the release of the dietary guidelines, we have taken the very important step to provide nutrition guidance that can help all Americans lead healthier lives by making every bite count.”
    Dietary Guidelines for Americans is the nation’s trusted resource for evidence-based nutrition guidance. The guidelines are designed for use by healthcare professionals and policy makers for outreach to the general public and provide the nutritional foundation for federal nutrition programs. The dietary guidelines should not be considered clinical guidelines for the treatment of disease.

    MyPlate is here to help you and your family put the Dietary Guidelines into action with new digital tools and resources available starting today! Start Simple with MyPlate offers free, personalized resources based on your eating needs and habits.

    Follow these simple steps and get started with these MyPlate resources:

    1. Find your starting point: Take the quick MyPlate Quiz to see how your eating habits stack up against the MyPlate recommendations. Based on your answers you’ll receive tailored resources and a personal quiz results code to sync with the Start Simple with MyPlate app.
    2. Set simple goals based on your personal needs:Use the Start Simple with MyPlate app to help you set daily meal- and snack-based goals to help you eat healthier. Sync your results from the MyPlate Quiz for a personalized experience. Join challenges, see progress, and earn badges to celebrate successes.
    3. Learn how much you should eat: To find out what and how much to eat from each of the food groups, get your own personalized MyPlate Plan.
    4. Put your plan into action: Discover recipes on MyPlate Kitchen. Check out hundreds of healthy, budget-friendly recipes that provide detailed nutrition and food group information to help you choose recipes that fit your needs.
    5. Save money and eat healthy: Use Healthy Eating on a Budget to help you save money at the store by making a shopping plan, shopping smart, and preparing healthy meals to stretch food dollars.
    6. Keep up the good work! One big change is that we’ve officially changed our website from ChooseMyPlate.gov to MyPlate.gov. Explore MyPlate’s new website with streamlined information for you to find tips, tools, and recipes that will fit your healthy eating needs.

    The benefits of healthy eating add up over time, bite by bite. Small changes matter. Start Simple with MyPlate.

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    Physical Activity

    Springboard to Active Schools Leverage. Catalyze. Advance. When it comes to promoting physical education and physical activity in schools, we recognize that some of you may feel like your state is bouncing in place, while others have been doing flips and tricks for years. No matter where you are, the Springboard to Active Schools Team aims to launch you higher and further in your pursuit of active schools.

    Playworks helps kids to stay active and build valuable life skills through play.

    Staff Wellness Resources

    Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Staff Well-Being Guidance for making staff wellness a priority through planning, implementing and evaluating your program.

    Thriving Schools-Kaiser Permanente Healthy schools need healthy school employees to thrive. This site provides webinars, and resources for healthy eating, physical activity, social and emotional well-being and labor management collaboration.

    SHAPE America School-Based Employee Wellness

    CDC School Employee Wellness Fostering the physical and mental health of school employees also helps to support students’ health and academic success. Every school employee, no matter the role they play, contributes to a school’s mission. School staff can give their best when they feel their best. School employee wellness programs can help.

    Schools can provide an employee wellness program for staff that includes healthy eating and physical activity services. When staff model these healthy behaviors, they can reinforce them with students.

    Additionally, supporting school employee wellness programs can

    • staff retention and productivity.
    • employee absenteeism.
    • employee health care costs.

    If you have questions please contact:

    Sharona Secatero Sharona.Secatero2@ped.nm.gov