Healthy Practices: Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Community and Family Participation from Coursera

In this course you will find a comprehensive overlook of healthy practices in public schools in the USA, including: physical activity and nutrition in the school setting. We will review the basics of some of the regulatory programs found in the United States that support healthy students through nutrition education and nutrition programs. You will be able to explain some of the nutritional components such as, alternatives to the use of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages. Many of these principles can be applied to students in schools throughout the globe.

You will understand how the schools can support physical activity throughout the day and how they can effectively offer physical education. Learners will be able to explain MVPA, or moderate to vigorous physical activity. They will identify this as the newest method for measuring and evaluating what counts as physical activity in terms of METs. Participants in the course will be able to explain the science behind the recommended "60 minutes of Physical Activity" and what counts toward MVPA both during and outside of the school day.

Learners will be able to evaluate and explain how what students eat and how they exercise impacts student success. We will provide you with information to help you to promote the teamwork that it takes to implement successful nutritional and physical activity programs. Our discussion will include where to find and how to develop community support and encourage family participation.

Later in the course you will understand how attendance impacts student success. Together we will look at real-life examples of programs in a school setting and this will help you to recognize what impact you can have on improving the health and success of students in your own community.

What's inside

Syllabus

School Nutrition

In the following module you will learn more about school nutrition. We’ll start by better understanding the differences between nutrition and nutrition services before we learn more about nutrition standards and the historical and scientific reasoning behind them. We’ll end the module with practical ways that you can promote a positive nutritional environment in your school.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Examines physical activity, which is a core topic in health and wellness

Provides clear recommendations for promoting healthy eating and living

Explores the impact of surroundings on students' overall health

Teaches the importance of attendance in academic success

Discusses the importance of nutrition in students' educational journeys

Reviews summary

School health: nutrition, activity, community

According to learners, this course provides a good overview of healthy practices in schools, specifically focusing on nutrition and physical activity, and the role of community and family participation. Many find the content relevant and well-structured, offering a solid introduction to the topics. However, a significant number of learners note that the course has a strong focus on the U.S. context, which may make it less directly applicable for those outside the United States. While the course covers important basics, some reviewers felt it could benefit from more in-depth coverage of certain areas for those with prior knowledge. Overall, it is considered a valuable starting point.

Modules are logical and easy to follow.

"The course was well-organized, with each module building logically on the last."

"Found the structure easy to navigate, making it simple to progress through the material."

"The way the topics were broken down into manageable modules was very helpful."

"I appreciated the flow from nutrition and activity to community involvement."

Offers strategies for implementation.

"I gained practical ideas on how to promote healthy eating and activity in my local school."

"The module on community and family participation gave me some actionable strategies to try."

"Found the discussion on involving businesses particularly useful for thinking about local programs."

"The course provided helpful information I feel I can use in my own community efforts."

Provides a solid foundation on key topics.

"This course gave me a really good introduction to the main concepts of school nutrition and physical activity programs."

"I appreciated how the course covered the basics of both nutrition and physical activity in a school setting, along with community involvement."

"It's a great starting point if you need a broad understanding of healthy practices for students."

"I found the overview comprehensive enough to grasp the key challenges and strategies."

Good for beginners, may lack depth.

"This course is excellent if you are new to the topic, but those with some background might find it too basic."

"I was looking for more in-depth analysis on specific nutritional guidelines, but it stayed at an overview level."

"It's a foundational course, don't expect to become an expert, but you will understand the key areas."

"The coverage of MVPA was clear, but I wanted a deeper dive into program evaluation methods."

Primarily relevant to the US context.

"While the information is good, it's heavily focused on US school systems and regulations..."

"Learned a lot about US programs, but was hoping for more globally applicable information."

"If you work outside the United States, you'll need to adapt much of the content to your local context."

"I am in the US and found the context very relevant to my work, but I can see why others globally might find it limited."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Healthy Practices: Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Community and Family Participation with these activities:

Participate in a school or community nutrition or physical activity challenge

Show steps

Creates a motivating and fun environment for improving health and wellness habits

Show steps

Find or organize a nutrition or physical activity challenge
Set personal goals and track progress
Participate actively and encourage others to join

Use an online tool to calculate the nutritional value of a meal

Show steps

Provides hands-on practice in calculating nutritional value and making healthy choices

Show steps

Choose an online tool to calculate nutritional value
Enter the ingredients and quantities of a meal or snack
Analyze the results and identify areas for improvement

Create a presentation on the importance of physical activity for students

Show steps

Helps you synthesize and communicate key concepts related to physical activity

Show steps

Gather information on the benefits of physical activity for students
Develop a presentation that is engaging and informative

Three other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all six activities

Join a group of peers and discuss emerging trends in the field of public health nutrition

Show steps

Engages in a dialogue about contemporary topics, fostering a deeper understanding and exchange of ideas

Show steps

Identify a group of peers with shared interests
Choose a topic and prepare discussion points
Facilitate a discussion and share knowledge

Develop a plan to implement a nutrition education program in your school or community

Show steps

Provides an opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills to a real-world setting

Show steps

Identify the needs of your school or community
Research effective nutrition education programs
Develop a plan that includes goals, objectives, activities, and evaluation methods

Design a lesson plan that incorporates physical activity into a non-PE subject

Show steps

Challenges you to think creatively and develop innovative ways to promote physical activity

Browse courses on Active Learning

Show steps

Choose a non-PE subject and identify opportunities to incorporate physical activity
Develop a lesson plan that includes activities, assessments, and reflection
Share the lesson plan with a mentor or colleague for feedback

Career center

Learners who complete Healthy Practices: Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Community and Family Participation will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Physician

Physicians diagnose and treat diseases, and they often provide counseling on nutrition and exercise. This course can provide Physicians with the knowledge and skills they need to provide effective counseling on these topics, particularly to patients in school settings.

See salaries and explore the career path for Physician

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists provide medical nutrition therapy, which is the use of nutrition to treat and prevent disease. This course can provide Registered Dietitian Nutritionists with the knowledge and skills they need to help patients to make healthy lifestyle changes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Health Promotion Specialist

Health Promotion Specialists plan, implement, and evaluate health promotion programs, and they often focus on nutrition and physical activity. This course can provide Health Promotion Specialists with the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Promotion Specialist

Health Policy Analyst

Health Policy Analysts develop and evaluate policies that affect the health of populations, and they often focus on issues such as nutrition and physical activity. This course could be valuable to Health Policy Analysts who work on policies related to school health.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Policy Analyst

Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists study the causes and distribution of diseases in populations, and they often focus on chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. This course can provide Epidemiologists with the knowledge and skills they need to research the impact of nutrition and exercise on health.

See salaries and explore the career path for Epidemiologist

Public Health Nutritionist

Public Health Nutritionists work to improve the health of populations by promoting healthy eating and exercise habits. This course can provide Public Health Nutritionists with the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Health Nutritionist

School Administrator

School Administrators play a key role in creating a healthy school environment, and they need to be knowledgeable about nutrition and physical activity. This course can provide School Administrators with the information they need to make informed decisions about school nutrition and physical activity programs, and it can also help them to understand the impact that nutrition and exercise have on student success.

See salaries and explore the career path for School Administrator

Health and Wellness Coach

Health and Wellness Coaches help individuals to improve their overall health and well-being, and they often specialize in nutrition and exercise. This course can provide Health and Wellness Coaches with the knowledge and skills they need to help clients to make healthy lifestyle changes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health and Wellness Coach

Community Health Worker

Community Health Workers provide health education and support to individuals and families in their communities, and they play an important role in promoting healthy eating and exercise habits. This course on healthy practices in schools could be valuable to Community Health Workers who work with families and children.

See salaries and explore the career path for Community Health Worker

School Nurse

School Nurses provide health care to students in schools, and they play an important role in promoting healthy eating and exercise habits. A course on healthy practices in schools can help School Nurses to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for School Nurse

Physical Education Teacher

Physical Education Teachers help students to develop the skills, knowledge, and behaviors necessary to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. A course that covers physical activity and nutrition can help aspiring Physical Education Teachers to develop the foundation they need for teaching children about these important topics. Furthermore, this course can help Physical Education Teachers to implement successful physical activity programs in and out of the classroom.

See salaries and explore the career path for Physical Education Teacher

Nutritionist

Like Dietitians, Nutritionists provide nutrition counseling to individuals and groups. However, they are not required to have the same level of education and training as Dietitians, and their scope of practice is more limited. This course can provide Nutritionists with valuable information about school nutrition and the impact that nutrition and exercise have on student success.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nutritionist

Dietitian

Dietitians provide nutrition counseling and advice to individuals and groups, and this course is valuable to those who wish to become Dietitians because it covers essential aspects of nutrition and physical activity. An understanding of the standards and scientific reasoning behind nutrition will be particularly relevant to aspiring Dietitians.

See salaries and explore the career path for Dietitian

Health Educator

Health Educators develop, implement, and evaluate health education programs. Since this course covers topics that involve promoting healthy eating and exercise habits, it may be useful for individuals who wish to work in this field. Furthermore, the section of this course that covers community support can help learners understand how to rally the community to improve student's health and success, which could be highly beneficial for Health Educators.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Educator