(HealthDay) -- Most schools prohibit the use of tobacco on school property, and at school functions. But they should be doing more, health experts say. School lunches are as unhealthy as ever. The good news, on the other hand, is that anti-violence education is on the upswing.
According to an article from CNN, high schools get a mixed grade when it comes to encouraging healthy habits in their students. Few high schools teach health education as students get older. Unfortunately, as they get older, students are more likely to be exposed to tobacco and alcohol. More than 25 percent of sixth-graders get health education, compared to about 2 percent of high school seniors.
On the positive side, an increasing number of students are receiving violence-prevention education. Almost 75 percent of high school students are receiving such education and the majority of states are now offering training for educators in that area.
When it comes to school lunches, most middle schools and high schools are providing vending machines with unhealthy snacks. Most of the milk sold is high in fat. To make matters worse, schools require less physical education as students get older. Only 6 percent of high school seniors get P.E. About half of all schools offer intramural sports or sport clubs.
To find out more about what schools are doing to reduce violence, you can read this article from the Clearinghouse on Urban Education. To find out more about the National Alliance for Safe Schools, you can read this article from the alliance's Web site.
