Improving the Nutritional Value of Our Nation’s School Meal
Presentation by:
Oyedotun OyewoleMPH StudentWalden UniversityMinneapolis, MN.April 2011.
Stakeholders
Parents Students Teachers School board
Objectives
Overview of nutrition What is the overarching problem? Why we should be concerned. Strategies for improvement State of the Union on school nutrition Benefits of taking action Oneness of purpose
Overview of Nutrition
Nutrition is the basis for the survival of any living creature.
What is nutrition? Nutrition can be good or poor.
What is the Overarching Problem?
School cafeterias do not offer healthy foods High level of trans fat in food lunches Vending machines complicate nutritional problems Schools rely on profits from vending machines’ sales
Chang, A. (2004). Schools Across U.S. Target Vending Machines in Obesity Controversy. Organic Consumers Association. Retrieved April 27, 2011 from http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/obesity031904.cfm
Shortcomings of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
The NSLP was established in 1946 Goal: to provide school children with free or low cost lunches
that are nutritionally balanced Failures of the NSLP:
– Fails to serve low fat, fiber and nutrition rich meals to children
– Too much fat, meat, chicken, and cheese– Almost no non-dairy options for students– Only few school districts offer calcium-rich milk
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2011). National School Lunch Program. Retrieved April 27, 2011 from http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) (2001). News Release: School Lunches Fail to Make the Grade Says Doctors. Retrieved April 28, 2011 from http://www.pcrm.org/news/health010904.html
Sample School Meals Across the Nation
Bacon Cheeseburgers Waffle sticks and syrup Canadian bacon and cheese
rolls Homemade pigs in a blanket Chicken fried steak and pizza Chili cheese nachos Pretzels with cheese sauce
Yeoman, B. (2003). Unhappy Meals. Retrieved April 16, 2011 from http://motherjones.com/politics/2003/01/unhappy-meals
Gallagher, S. Pigs in a Blanket Recipe. Retrieved April 16, 2011 from http://kidscooking.about.com/b/2008/08/30/pigs-in-a-blanket-recipe.htm
Why we should be concerned
Rising trend of obesity among children and adolescentsAbout 16% of children and adolescents ages 6-19 years
are overweight.>1/3RD of children and > 2/3RD of U.S. adults are
overweightPrevalence of obesity has tripled over the past 30 years Obesity increases risk for diabetes, high blood
pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, and arthritis.
Dill, K. (2008). Adolescent values and exercise behaviors. Psy.D. dissertation, George Fox University, United States -- Oregon. Retrieved April 15, 2010, from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text.(Publication No. AAT 3332162).
Liou, Y., Liou, T., & Chang, L. (2010). Obesity among adolescents: sedentary leisure time and sleeping as determinants. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(6), 1246. Retrieved April 27, 2010, from ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source. (Document ID: 2025184251).
USDA (2011). Dietary Guidelines for American, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2011 from http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm
Overweight and Obesity
Measured using Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI: an indicator of body fatness
Definition of Overweight
Definition of Obesity
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2011). Overweight and Obesity: Basics About Childhood Obesity. Retrieved April 27th 2011 from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/basics.html
Strategies for Improvement
Eliminate unhealthy food from school lunches Enforce the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans Get rid of junk foods from vending machines Replace vending machines’ junk foods with
healthier foods
State of the Union on School Nutrition
California: First state to ban sales of soft drinks at elementary and junior high schools
New York: illegal to sell candy and soda from vending machines until the last lunch period
Hawaii: Proposes to ban vending machines in schools Minnesota: Proposes that milk and fruit drinks be sold at lower
prices than junk foods Indiana: Mixed reactions on a bill requiring at least half the
[food] choices be healthy Philadelphia, PA: Halted soda sales in vending machines
Chang, A. (2004). Schools Across U.S. Target Vending Machines in Obesity Controversy. Organic Consumers Association. Retrieved April 27, 2011 from http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/obesity031904.cfm
Other interventions to combat nutritional problems in schools
State legislation for trans fat Bans/restrictions– California: CA SB 490 (2007, enacted, Chapter
No. 648)– HI SCR 175 (2008, proposed)
Release of the Dietary guidelines for America on Jan 31st 2011
National Conference of State Legislatures (2011) Trans fat and Menu Labeling Legislation (Updated April 2011). Retrieved April 27 from http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14362
USDA (2011). Dietary Guidelines for American, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2011 from http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm
Benefits of taking Action
Healthier children and adolescents Prevent the co-morbidities of obesity Downward trend of obesity-related depression Drastically reduce the lifetime medical cost related to
obesity’s co morbidities.
Bhattacharya, J. & Sood, N. (2010). Health Insurance, Obesity, and its Economic Costs. Stanford University & RAND Corporation. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from www.ers.usda.gov/publications/efan04004/efan04004g.pdf
Oneness of Purpose
Achieving this goal requires every stakeholder’s participation
Parents: Let your voice be heard and take charge of your children’s meals
School boards: Let us put the health of children above financial gains. They are the nation’s future
Students: make better food choices
Conclusion
Good nutrition is the key to good health Poor nutrition in schools contributes to obesity Let’s prevent today so we don’t manage disease
tomorrow Steps to take Everyone should be involved Let’s get involved and make our voices heard School children are the future of this nation
References
Bhattacharya, J. & Sood, N. (2010). Health Insurance, Obesity, and its Economic Costs. Stanford University & RAND Corporation. Retrieved July 25, 2010, from www.ers.usda.gov/publications/efan04004/efan04004g.pdf
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2011). Overweight and Obesity: Basics About Childhood Obesity. Retrieved April 27th 2011 from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/basics.html
Chang, A. (2004). Schools Across U.S. Target Vending Machines in Obesity Controversy. Organic Consumers Association. Retrieved April 27, 2011 from http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/obesity031904.cfm
Dill, K. (2008). Adolescent values and exercise behaviors. Psy.D. dissertation, George Fox University, United States -- Oregon. Retrieved April 15, 2010, from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text.(Publication No. AAT 3332162).
References
Gallagher, S. Pigs in a Blanket Recipe. Retrieved April 16, 2011 from http://kidscooking.about.com/b/2008/08/30/pigs-in-a-blanket-recipe.htm
Liou, Y., Liou, T., & Chang, L. (2010). Obesity among adolescents: sedentary leisure time and sleeping as determinants. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(6), 1246. Retrieved April 27, 2010, from ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source. (Document ID: 2025184251).
National Conference of State Legislatures (2011) Trans fat and Menu Labeling Legislation (Updated April 2011). Retrieved April 27 from http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14362
References
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) (2001). News Release: School Lunches Fail to Make the Grade Says Doctors. Retrieved April 28, 2011 from http://www.pcrm.org/news/health010904.html
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2011). National School Lunch Program. Retrieved April 27, 2011 from http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/
USDA (2011). Dietary Guidelines for American, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2011 from http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm
Yeoman, B. (2003). Unhappy Meals. Retrieved April 16, 2011 from http://motherjones.com/politics/2003/01/unhappy-meals
Image References
Vending Machine Reviews (2011). Retrieved April 27, 2011 from http://vendingmachinereviews.co.uk/
Jeff (2010). Is the School Cafeteria Worse Than a Fast Food Restaurant? Retrieved April 28, 2011 from http://tomatotalk.earthfare.com/2010/03/23/is-the-school-cafeteria-worse-than-a-fast-food-restaurant/
Easy School Cafeteria Lunch. Retrieved April 28, 2011 from http://www.ifood.tv/network/easy_school_cafeteria_lunch
El Civics for ESL Students. Retrieved April 28, 2011 from http://www.elcivics.com/lifeskills/healthy-food-1.html
Sources for Further Reading
Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine by Anthony S. Fauci, Eugene Braunwald, Dennis L. Kasper, Stephen L. Hauser, Dan L. Longo, J. Larry Jameson, Joseph Loscalzo - McGraw-Hill Medical (2008) - Hardback - 2754 pages - ISBN 0071466339
National Institutes of Health (NIH)– Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/meetings/workshops/child-obesity/index.htm
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence– Management of Obesity and overweight (evidence briefing):
http://www.nice.org.uk/
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene – Burden of Obesity in Maryland: http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/
Thank you