NYAM School Programs: A Critical Component of Prevention

NEW YORK CITY ??? September 22, For more than twenty-five years the Office of School Health Programs (OSHP) at The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) has developed health education initiatives in partnership with New York City public schools and community based organizations. With the start of the 2008-09 school year underway, OSHP is preparing this year’s new programming.

NYAM has been instrumental in assisting the Department of Education (DOE) with health education programs in schools, K-12. The DOE now regulates health education standards as part of its principal performance review. This year, OSHP will be providing consultation and technical assistance to the DOE Office of Fitness and Health as it rolls out programming, for the schools so that principals will be in compliance with this new regulation.

Comprehensive health education in schools plays a significant role in helping prevent obesity and its secondary effects, including diabetes and heart disease. In East Harlem, where NYAM is located, more than one in four children in Head Start and elementary school are obese. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene children and adults living in East Harlem report that they aren’t getting enough exercise and are not eating the recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. OSHP uses a targeted approach to increase effectiveness in addressing these health concerns.

One OSHP program, HEAL (Healthy Eating Active Living: A School and Community Initiative), promotes obesity prevention through a series of educational experiences for elementary schools. The program goals are to engage and motivate school administrators, staff, parents and caregivers while increasing their capacity to help children make better food choices, and increase their physical activity. This program is supported by the MetLife Foundation and the Rite Aid Foundation.

Investment in these kinds of programs promises large returns. During the last year, NYAM conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify over 80 community based prevention programs proven effective in increasing physical activity, improving nutrition, and reducing tobacco use rates. This review was used in Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) recently-released “Prevention for a Healthier America” report, which concluded that within five years the United States could save over $16 billion annually in health care spending by investing in community-based prevention programs (www.HealthyAmericans.org). New York alone would experience $1.3 billion in health care cost savings for private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid by investing in community based prevention programs.

NYAM is a strong advocate for comprehensive health education programs targeting the population most susceptible to health disparities that lead to preventable chronic disease. Our prevention programs continue to add to national health care cost savings.

The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) has been advancing the health of people in cities since 1847. An independent organization, NYAM addresses the health challenges facing the world’s urban populations through interdisciplinary approaches to policy leadership, education, community engagement and innovative research. Drawing on the expertise of diverse partners worldwide and more than 2,000 elected Fellows from across the professions, our current priorities are to create environments in cities that support healthy aging; to strengthen systems that prevent disease and promote the public’s health; and to implement interventions that eliminate health disparities.

Posted on September 22, 2008

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Contact:
Andrew J. Martin
Director of Communications
The New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10029
212-822-7285
amartin@nyam.org

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