One of the major points made in Jamie Oliver's show Food Revolution was that schools are not in control over what is served in their cafeterias.
Show Example: Schools are mandated to give children a choice of white, chocolate or strawberry milk, even though the flavored milks had more sugar in them than soda. When the chocolate and strawberry milks were removed, children drank the white milk instead.
Lesson: Give kids only one choice - the right choice. (This will be the topic of my next post)
While there are obviously numerous kinks in policy that need to be worked out at state and district levels, the Federal government has taken a pro-active (ha!) and healthy stance on nutrition and exercise.
Through programs like the HealthierUS School Challenge and Michelle Obama's Let's Move! anti-obesity campaign, the federal government is incentivizing (yes, this is a word, i looked it up) the change toward a healthier educational environment for all students. Legislation, such as the currently-in-the-House-to-be-reauthorized Child Nutrition Act, would give the USDA more say in all aspects of school food - from lunchroom standards to what items are allowed in vending machines. Additionally, in March President Obama created the Task Force on Childhood Obesity and presented a comprehensive plan for the overhaul of our children's health within one generation - an ambitious and commendable goal.
Similarly to the WVA district in which Food Revolution was shot, parents in the Chicago suburb of Evanston are finding that changing what's on the menu in their children's schools does not come as easy as one might think. The parental protest to eliminate pancakes as a lunch option did not go over very well, simply because it is a popular choice with kids (i.e. funding). Hopefully, once the new CNA is through, regulations will nip these kind of situations in the bud by creating a cohesive federal mandate for the nutritional levels of all food served in schools - but until then, parents in Evanston and everywhere, keep up the good fight!
Resources:
Tribune article on Evanston, by Monica Eng
School Health Index: Self-assess your school's School Health!
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Obesity Publications and Research Center
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Unfortunately, as great concept as changing the school lunches to make them healthier, it is a small step in the fight against childhood obesity. Taking away recess and gym classes will counteract the positive effects of making lunches more nutritious.
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