To celebrate the publication of Proceedings of the Learning Connection Summit: Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Student Achievement, I’m offering a short daily post during February on the ABCs of the health and academics.

A is for ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT 

This new paper, written by me with distinguished co-authors Marie Spano, MS, RD, CSCS, CSSD, Joseph E. Donnelly, EDD, FACSM, Charles H. Hillman, PhD, and Ronald Kleinman, MD, and made possible through an educational grant from Nike, was published in January/February 2014 Nutrition Today. It shares key insights from the September 2012 GENYOUth Nutrition + Physical Activity Learning Connection Summit.

• The proceedings examine the growing body of research focused on the association between physical activity, school-based physical education, school breakfast consumption, improved nutrition overall, and academic achievement.
• The Summit convened thought leaders and decision-makers from the public-private sectors in education, health and wellness, academia, government, philanthropy, business and, importantly, students to explore the connection that physical activity and nutrition have to learning and behavior. It explored both the barriers and opportunities to help schools implement wellness policies and practices.
• The participants identified knowledge gaps, developed practical approaches to leverage the current science, and recommitted to work with schools to enhance children’s health and readiness to learn.

Students were a core part of the Summit – joining conversations about the importance of the learning connection, sharing ideas for improving academic achievement, and acting as leaders among their generation to make a difference. I am excited to share what I learned during -and since – the Summit from the research, from the experts and from young people themselves. Students, like Kylie from Minnesota, are my daily inspiration for improving academic achievement through nutrition and fitness at school.

Eat. Play. Learn. It’s all about ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. 

Kylie Kasprick, Fuel Up To Play 60, Student Ambassador, Minnesota