There has been a dramatic increase in adults, teens, and children who are either overweight or obese in New Jersey and the U.S. People who are physically active and eat nutritious foods are at a decreased risk of being overweight and obese.  Proper nutrition promotes the optimal growth and development of children. A healthy diet also helps reduce the risks for many health conditions.¹  Regular physical activity helps improve a person's overall health and fitness and reduces the risk for many chronic diseases.²

2018-2023

Projects

• The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) provides fresh and locally grown produce to 34,000 seniors and 50,000 WIC participants throughout New Jersey. Participant are issued benefits beginning May 1 have until November 30 to redeem at any participating farmer/farm markets in the state.  
• The purpose of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) School Health NJ Project is to build and sustain healthy schools for all students, faculty/staff, and the surrounding community utilizing CDC’s WSCC model and the social and emotional learning (SEL) framework. Funding is used to promote a positive school climate and culture of health which is inclusive of increasing physical activity and promoting good nutrition, including water consumption. Examples include:
  • Union City High School formed a hiking club. It started with 40 students and grew to over 200 students due to internal promotion from the school’s website, social media accounts, and flyers.
  • Union City Middle School collaborated with Kids360 to create a yoga club for its students where they learn information about meditation and mindfulness as well as yoga poses.
  • PS34 President Barack Obama Community School implemented a project called, “Party Cart” where administrators and teachers walk into different classrooms with a party cart that brought safe drinking water to the classroom. Staff would play music so the students could dance, take a brain break, and have a drink of water.
  • Veterans Memorial Middle School purchased hydration stations for students to encourage them to use refillable water bottles.

Outreach

• NJDOH, in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, recruits new farmers to the FMNP by attending farmers’ market conventions and meetings to promote the WIC and Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Programs (FMNP/SFMNP).  
• FMNP/SFMNP benefits are issued through 16 local WIC agencies for WIC participants and through nutrition centers, senior housing, libraries, and SFMNP agencies for senior participants.  Seniors receive $50 per person and eligible WIC participants are issued $30.   The program has transitioned from paper voucher to an electronic solution (QR code) which will allow the participant flexibility to spend as much or as little of their benefits in each shopping trip as they wish.
• New Jersey has five authorized farmers’ markets, 158 individual authorized farmers, and 142 farm stands.  

Grants given by NJDOH

• School Health NJ funds three regional school health grantees (AtlantiCare - Southern Region, Empower Somerset - Central Region, and Center for Prevention & Counseling - Northern NJ) and one statewide parent engagement grantee (Statewide Parent Advocacy Network).  The total allocation of grants provided is $1.1 million per year from FY19-FY23.  
• Through FY23 School Health NJ worked primarily with schools that had at least a 50% free and reduced lunch population.  Starting in FY24, School Health NJ will use the NJ Municipal Revitalization Index (MRI) which includes additional factors beyond free and reduced lunch.

Grants received by NJDOH

• USDA annual award (food dollars and administrative cost):
  • For WIC participants - $1.5 million 
  • For Senior participants - $1 million
• Maternal and Child Health Block Grant: $1.1 million for WSCC

Other actions

• Some markets offer nutrition incentives for FMNP/SFMNP by using their general operating budget. FMNP/SFMNP incentives are offered as a dollar-for-dollar match.
• Farmers collaborate with local WIC and Senior Agencies to provide produce bags for participants coming to agency to pick up benefits.

Challenges

• There are limited food dollars that can be allocated to participants.
• Increasing food costs mean that money given does not buy as much as it used to.
• There are areas in New Jersey that have little to no local farmers’ markets.
• Some FMNP/SMNP participants have limited transportation to the farmers’ market locations.
• Time and location for physical activity components presents a challenge in some of the more urban schools while transportation is a more frequent challenge in more rural areas where students come from a larger more regionalized geographic area.   

Disparities/inequities

• There are food deserts with limited or no access to fresh, locally grown produce or farmers’ markets.
• Black and Hispanic adults and teens are more likely to be obese than Asians and Whites.

Final Assessment

• The targets for TV viewing time and soda consumption among teens were achieved.
• Physical activity among high school students increased but did not meet the target.
• There was little change in physical activity among adults.
• Obesity among teens and adults as well as computer usage time among teens got worse.

For more information, please refer to these resources:

• NJ Office of Nutrition and Fitness
• NJ Student Learning Standards: Comprehensive Health and Physical Education
• NJ Safe Routes to Schools
• NJ School Nutrition Programs
• NJ Child Health Study

• CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
• NIH Weight Management
• Healthy People 2030
  • Physical Activity
  • Nutrition and Healthy Eating
  • Overweight and Obesity

References:

1. USDHHS and USDA. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. Dec 2015.
2. Physical Activity, CDC. 3/12/21.