‘Fuel Up to Play 60’ Scores Big in Schools

Last week I dialed into a teleconference originating from USDA’s new Broadcast Media and Technology Center. The event featured Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and representatives of the National Dairy Council reporting on Fuel Up to Play 60, a youth program (grades 4-8) sponsored by the National Dairy Council, the National Football League and, now, USDA as well.

The program is designed to empower students to take action for their health and improve their school environment – by eating healthfully, playing at least 60 minutes a day, and participating in program activities in and out of school. Students and schools participating in Fuel Up to Play 60 also compete nationally to win prizes for themselves and their school. Currently, the program, which was launched in October 2009, reaches nearly 36.6 million students in 60,000 schools – 60% of the nation’s private and public schools.

I am encouraged to see this seamless linking of healthful eating and physical activity. Like the Healthy Schools Partnership, Fuel Up to Play 60 is teaching by doing – helping children eat more of the food groups they are under-consuming and increase daily activity as two sides of the same coin.

In addition to the star power of the NFL (which early testing showed appeals to both boys and girls), the program includes an interactive Web site, a social marketing platform, and the very important ability to tailor program elements to each school’s unique needs.

In closing the teleconference, Secretary Vilsack noted that advocacy is extremely important now. Child nutrition programs are a national priority – even a national security issue. “We are dealing with 30 million children who will grow up to serve their country in many ways,” said Vilsack. “We need them to be strong and healthy.”

For more details about the program, see a transcript of the teleconference here.