06/07/00 Our Children Are Our Future: Creating a Partnership to Help America's Youth Adopt Healthy Eating Patterns and Regular Physical Activity

Our Children Are Our Future: Creating a Partnership to Help America's Youth Adopt Healthy Eating Patterns and Regular Physical Activity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 7, 2000

Contact: Bridget McManamon, Lori Ferme
1-800-877-1600, ext. 4769, 4802
E-mail: media@eatright.org
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ADA's member dietitians will use their training and expertise to be part of the solution

CHICAGO -- The American Dietetic Association, the world’s largest group of food and nutrition professionals, has joined forces with four of the nation's leading medical associations -- The American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association -- and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to challenge schools and communities to promote healthy eating among the nation's students.

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions with 4.7 million youths, ages 6 to 17, now overweight or obese. Recent research in the Journal of The American Dietetic Association showed the health status of U.S. children has generally improved over the past three decades, however, the number of children who are overweight more than doubled. Approximately 12 percent of adolescents (ages 12-17) and 14 percent of children (ages 6-11) are overweight.*

"Reversing that trend is critical. It begins by preventing obesity in America's youth through a coordinated, comprehensive program for school health, engaging all of us who work with kids," said Jane White, registered dietitian and ADA President. "Nutrition profoundly affects children’s ability to learn, develop and stay healthy. There is no better time than the early years to make an impact on the lifelong eating and exercise habits that contribute to health maintenance and disease prevention."

Currently most school children do not meet the USDA’s recommendations, especially for the fruit, vegetable, grain and dairy groups. "The Food Guide Pyramid is an important tool for establishing healthful eating habits, students need to learn how to balance their food choices," White said.

The partnership has developed ten keys to assist each school community in writing its own prescription for change.

Prescription for Change: Ten Keys to Promote Healthy Eating in Schools

  1. Student, parents, educators and community leaders will be involved in assessing the school's eating environment, developing a shared vision and an action plan to achieve it.
  2. Adequate funds will be provided by local, state and federal sources to ensure that the total school environment supports the development of healthy eating patterns.
  3. Behavior-focused nutrition education will be integrated into the curriculum from pre-K through grade 12. Staff who provide nutrition education will have appropriate training.
  4. School meals will meet USDA nutrition standards as well as provide sufficient choices, including new foods and food prepared in news ways, to meet the taste preferences of diverse student populations.
  5. All students will have designated lunch periods of sufficient length to enjoy eating healthy foods with friends. These lunch periods will be scheduled as near the middle of the school day as possible.
  6. Schools will provide enough serving areas to ensure student access to school meals with a minimum wait time.
  7. Space that is adequate to accommodate all students and pleasant surroundings that reflect the value of the social aspects of eating will be provided.
  8. Students, teachers and community volunteers who practice healthy eating will be encouraged to serve as role models in school dining areas.
  9. If foods are sold in addition to National School Lunch Program meals, they will be from the five major food groups of the Food Guide Pyramid. This practice will foster healthy eating patterns.
  10. Decisions regarding the sale of foods in addition to the National School Lunch Program meals will be based on nutrition goals, not on profit making.

For reliable science-based nutrition information students, teachers, parents and caregivers can visit ADA's Web site www.eatright.org. With nearly 70,000 members, the ADA serves the public by promoting nutrition, health and well-being.