Promoting Healthy Behaviors

Schools are in a unique position to promote healthy behaviors. Most US children spend an average of 6 to 7 hours a day at school, which is a large part of their waking hours.^1–3This section highlights the importance of nutrition services, physical education and physical activity, out of school time, tobacco use prevention, and sleep education in schools using a comprehensive approach.

Use our interactive Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model (WSCC) to learn how these components relate to promoting healthy behaviors. If you’d like to see the WSCC model in action, visit our Virtual Healthy School.

Nutrition

Physical Education and Physical Activity

Out of School Time

Sleep and Health

Social and Emotional Climate

Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model

National Center for Educational Statistics. Table 103.20. Percentage of the population 3 to 34 years old enrolled in school, by age group: Selected years, 1940 through 2015. Digest of Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d16/tables/dt16_103.20.asp?current=yesExternalexternal icon. Accessed December 21, 2017.
National Center for Educational Statistics. Average number of hours in the school day and average number of days in the school year for public schools, by state: 2007–08. Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/tables/sass0708_035_s1s.aspExternalexternal icon. Accessed June 22, 2017.
US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health. A Day in the Life website. https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/facts-and-stats/day-in-the-life/index.htmlExternalexternal icon. Accessed December 20, 2017.

Page last reviewed: March 19, 2020

Content source: Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion