01/10/01 New Studies Released By USDA Show School Meals Are Improving

New Studies Released By USDA Show School Meals Are Improving

American Dietetic Association Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 10, 2001
Media contact: Bridget McManamon or Lori Ferme
800/877-1600, ext. 4769 or 4802

CHICAGO - Two studies released today by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveal steady improvements in school meal programs. Working under the mantle of the School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children, a program designed to improve the nutritional quality of school meals and encourage children to eat more healthful meals, well-defined objectives were established and new procedures and partnerships for achieving them were created.

"By implementing this Initiative, USDA has helped schools throughout the nation upgrade the nutrient composition of the meals they serve," said Jane V. White, PhD, RD, President of the American Dietetic Association (ADA). "ADA would like the School Meal Initiative to be continued and augmented so that additional progress can be achieved."

"Nutrition education is critical to the development of lifelong, healthful eating habits in school-aged children and adolescents," White said.

Some key findings include:

  • Maintenance of a focus to ease hunger and malnutrition through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. Children who are hungry have difficulty focusing on what teachers ask them to learn.
  • Adaptation of nutrition parameters to make school meals content consistent with the growing knowledge of what constitutes a healthful diet.
  • Greater flexibility in the procedures used to plan and monitor school menus so that schools can take action to improve meal programs at the local level without major difficulty.
  • Educational and technical resources to assist food service personnel and state child nutrition agencies in their programs and services are increasingly available and widely used.

ADA supports the provision of a variety of nutrition-dense foods by school meals programs and implementation of curricula that include behaviorally based nutrition education strategies to promote the development of healthful food choice skills. Students also get an important message when all school food venues -- vending machines, snack bars, etc., -- consistently offer affordable, nutrient dense food and beverage options.

"ADA believes that every child should have the chance to enjoy a school environment where there is adequate time to eat and to socialize," White said. "ADA vigorously supports efforts to encourage exercise and play so that our children understand and act upon the belief that their daily behaviors must be part of a healthy lifestyle. It is here that we hope to see continued commitment and action."

With nearly 70,000 members, the Chicago-based American Dietetic Association is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being.