ABSTRACT
ADELE L. FRANKS, STEVEN H. KELDER, GERI A. DINO, KIMBERLY A. HORN, STEVEN L. GORTMAKER, JEAN L. WIECHA, AND EDUARDO J. SIMOES
8.1 INTRODUCTION
Schools can play a crucial role in improving the health of children and, thus, the adults they will become. Children and adolescents generally attend school 5 days per week throughout most of the calendar year. Schools in the United States are located in communities of every socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic group. In addition to academic skills, students also learn cultural expectations and social norms that strongly influence health behaviors (1).
