Nutritional Quality of the Diets of US Public School Children and the Role of the School Meal Programs

I found this interesting research article from the American Dietetic Association from 2009. I was shocked by the statistics that were provided in the article. According to the School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-1)  participation in the National School Lunch Program was associated with increased intakes of several key nutrients but also associated with increased intakes of fat, saturated fat and sodium. SNDA-2 was performed in 1998-1999 and it found that the fat and saturated fat content of the meals had gone down without compromising the amount of vitamins provided. This article used data from the SNDA-3 to assess the nutritional quality of the diets of US public school children and to explore the relationship between children's participation in the school meal programs and the nutritional quality of their diets.

Children were required to complete a 24-hour diet recall and interviews. The parents as well were asked to complete a parent interview. Children ranged from grades 1 through 12. Researchers found an association between program participation and excessive sodium intakes along with high prevalence of excessive saturated fat intakes among all students. These findings helps me understand the importance of the revisions to the Child Reauthorization Act. By revising and implementing the changes we can provide healthier choices to children while at school. In the long run, this could influence the food choices the children begin to make on their own.

Trip to Washington DC :)

I had hoped to meet with the USDA to discuss the Child Reauthorization Act and it's progress. However, that contact fell through and was not able to meet. I made a trip to the US Capitol to meet with Congressman Ben Chandler's office for a tour. I had previous contact with a gentleman that worked in the district office in Lexington who was going to pass my information on to a Legislative Assistant in DC. I hadn't heard anything from the assistant in DC so I had given up all hope. However, when we were in Ben Chandler's office a young man came out from the back and said my name! To my surprise it was my legislative assistant contact Robert Kramer! He sat down with me and discussed the bill and asked me about my questions! He ended up contacting the committee for me asking them where the bill stood. Right now there is nothing else that can be regulated since this bill is mandatory funding. Usually with an authorization bill they set out an amount they think is needed to fund the bill and an appropriations committee will decide the final amount. However, this is not the case with the Child Reauthorization Act.

He also gave me a lot of good resources to read through so I hope they provide me with a lot of useful information to understand how this bill is implemented within the communities!

National School Lunch Program

Since my contact with the USDA office in Washington D.C. fell through my next plan of "attack" is to contact the local office in Frankfort, KY. Found the contact information for the office :)

Denise Hagan
502-564-5625 x4709

Sad News :(

My hopeful contact for the USDA office in Washington DC just emailed me back and looks like I can't meet with anyone at their office due to legal issues. Hopefully I can get some information some other way! Keeping my head up!

Update

I received an email from my "liaison" for the USDA office in Washington DC and she is still waiting to hear back from her contacts! Hope I hear good news soon!

Exciting News!!!

Currently Skyping with my brother who goes to school at University of Maryland College Park. He knows a girl at school that used to intern at the USDA office in WASHINGTON, DC and is going to set up a meeting for me when I go visit in March! :) How exciting! Isn't that awesome!

School Lunch Prices a Concern in New York

With the recent passing of the Child Nutrition Act prices for school lunches are expected to rise. Concerns have been made about the prices jumping 10 cents for elementary school lunches and 15 cents for middle and high school lunch. By 2013-14 prices for meals can range from 2.05 to 2.55, elementary-high school respectively.

Any  thoughts about the rise in school lunch? Shouldn't this bring healthier options to the lunch program? 

http://www.examiner-enterprise.com/articles/2011/03/03/news/news709.txt

Federal Regulations to Require Healthier School Lunches!

I found another article that was just posted this afternoon all the way from Oklahoma!

Making changes across the nation :)

http://www.examiner-enterprise.com/articles/2011/03/03/news/news709.txt

Quick Link!

This is the link to the news story I blogged about earlier! Even though it is a story that is a couple weeks old it's still encouragement!

http://www2.turnto10.com/lifestyles/2011/feb/18/health-check-healthier-school-lunches-ar-400607/

Health Check: Healthier School Lunches

With news on the Child Nutrition Act coming to a standstill while legislators are determining funding and regulations I found an interesting article that gives us as professionals hope that this re-authorization will actually impact local communities.

At schools in Rhode Island items on the menu are changing from french fries, pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers nad meatball subs to items like tri-colored cauliflower, tabouli and flavor-roasted chick peas. The exciting thing: the students actually like it!

Even dramatic changes aren't needed. Most schools are serving pizza bake on whole wheat crust, turkey burgers and Asian lo mein with wheat linguine.

Making these changes allows students to experience new healthy options that some would not know existed outside of school.

Such encouragement for changes to come :)

EatRight!

On the American Dietetic Association website eatright.org it was brought to my attention that there would be some helpful information regarding the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act. I started clicking around and found an email address (govaffairs@eatright.org)that I could use to receive recent information and action on the bill! I think I am going to send them an email by the end of this week to see what they have to say about some recent information! Hopefully I hear some good news from them soon!

New Goal:)

Since the USDA is a sponsor of the Child Nutrition Act my newest goal is to contact a representative at the office in Frankfort to get some more information from them within the next two weeks! Hope I can pull it off!! :)

Early Care and Education Consortium

The Early Care and Education Consortium has developed a PDF file that provides a summary of the Child Reauthorization Act: Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act. According to this file funding for the legislation directs $44.5 billion over 10 years to carry out the provisions made under the act. Part of this money is being taken from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program which I know is very controversial.



What next: US Department of Agriculture has to create regulations on the new provisions included in the bill. The public will have an opportunity to make comments on the regulations! That's awesome :)

Healthy Schools Campaign

I found a blog associated with the Healthy Schools Campaign that I am going to follow and hopefully receive beneficial information that can help me! Fingers crossed :-)