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