Defense Authorization Bill Includes Support for Child Nutrition Programs

From the American Dietetic Association-

Support for reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act has come from an unlikely source: the Defense Authorization bill. During House debate, 341 members voted to support an amendment by Reps. Jim McGovern (D.-Mass.), Jo Ann Emerson (R.-Mo.) and Sanford Bishop (D.-Ga.) highlighting the impact of hunger and obesity on military recruitment and supporting properly funding the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act.

The amendment does not guarantee funding for child nutrition reauthorization, but it helps build momentum and support. The "Sense of the Congress" amendment says "reducing domestic childhood obesity and hunger is a matter of national security…the Federal Child Nutrition Programs under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) should be funded at the President's request; and the increases in funding for such programs should be properly offset."

Over the past month, 221 members of Congress – a majority of the House – had already sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D. Calif.) supporting President Obama's request for an increase of $1 billion a year for the Child Nutrition Programs.

Chefs Move to Schools

The Let's Move campaign initiated by Michelle Obama this year is moving into the kitchen and just in the nick of time. As many public schools close their doors for summer, many cafeterias will be poised for making systematic change in the way they feed our children.

From White House Assistant Chef and the Food Initiative Coordinator Chef Sam Kass:

The Chefs Move to Schools program will pair chefs with schools in their communities to bring fun to fruits and vegetables, and teach kids about food, nutrition and cooking in an engaging way. And by working with school food service employees, administrators and teachers -- chefs can help deliver these messages from the cafeteria to the classroom. After hearing fifth graders cheer for broccoli, I know first hand that chefs can have a huge impact on kid’s health and well being.

Chefs and schools that are interested in participating can sign up here or through www.LetsMove.gov.

My great friend, chef and fellow HEN nutritionist Julie Negrin will be at tomorrow's kick off for Chefs Move to School. She has a great article up on her blog on new and healthy ways for schools to fundraise. Some of the ideas are so cute.

Let's Move also recently announced the Let's Move Outside component.

With all hands on decks, I hope see some real changes in school lunch and child nutrition. Now if we can only stop the hemorrhaging in the Guld of Mexico so we can refocus on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization. Have you called your Senator?

The food lobby goes to school

The Food Lobby Goes to School, a video created by The American News Project, gives some insight into the process of deciding standards for the National School Lunch Program. While some may think that the people deciding policy are Registered Dietitians, health professionals, school lunch workers and policy advocates, the fact of the matter is, like with most policy, lobbyists warm the seats. These are the same big names that grace the expo hall at the national and state American Dietetic Association meetings.

To a large degree, it is the Federal Government. Congress and the Department of Agriculture approve what foods can (and can't) be served to over 30 million American school children who get daily meals from the National School Lunch Program. The government gets a ton of pressure from a food and beverage industry frantic to keep kids hooked on a diet of sodas, snacks and hot dogs. The competition for a piece of this $10 billion market is particularly fierce right now because this year the School Lunch Program is being reviewed and revised.

Despite the enormous nutritional and financial stakes at play, ANP was the only media to cover a recent panel set up to discuss the school menu. While nutritionists outnumbered the press, corporate lobbyists outnumbered everyone.

This op-ed in the New York Times by Alice Waters and Katrina Heron, No Lunch Left Behind further discusses the issues and hurdles.

Renegade Lunch Lady

I saw this post on Calorie Lab:

Renegade lunch lady says good lunches a social justice issue

Ann Cooper, the director of nutrition for the Berkeley Unified School District, told the EG ’07 conference that changing the way kids eat is a critical mission and that failure could lead not only to shortened lives for them but also a wrecked environment and a less successful nation.

EG (like the Latin for “for example”) is an annual shindig that brings together the best minds in entertainment, technology and the world of ideas to discuss all sorts of issues of importance to society. The video of Cooper’s talk was recently made available online by TED (aka Technology, Innovation, Design).

This lady really gets me fired up. I love how she clues into the fact that this is a social issue.

USDA Child Nutrition and WIC 2009 reuthorization

USDA held a listening session in Austin, Texas at the beautiful LBJ Wildflower Center. I was speaker #28.

Some highlights:
A lady pointed out the use of the euphemism--food insecure--as opposed to hunger or hungry. This is a point I made when they made the change. It acts to mask the issue of hunger in the United States and makes the society less aware of the widespread problem.

A man from Borden milk tauted their efforts to switch their milk cartons to plastic instead of paperboard. Well that's environmentally friendly! Apparently customers are buying less of the plastic jugs due to high prices. Duh...plastic is made out of petroleum. He also asked USDA to allow the use of artificial sweeteners in their flavored milks so they can stay below the sugar standards. Yuck! He complained about the decrease in milk consumption as kids get older. Yeah...I think you should stop drinking milk around, uh 2...2 1/2. Mothers milk that is; Cows milk is for cows.

My presentation was simple. I talked about the importance of strengthening the WIC Farmers Market voucher program.

On Childhood Nutrition I spoke of competitive foods and how they should be taken out of the schools once and for all. Competitive foods are just that, COMPETING with the healthy foods. I told them that I realized I don't have the amount clout or lobbying power as the beverage or snack industries to make a difference, but that it's about time we had an overhaul and a different approach.I described the nutrient-based criteria as being a slippery slope for companies to formulate products that slip under the cut points. Key word being FORMULATE....in a lab. The problem is the foods people are eating....adding more "soluble fiber" "vitamin C" and "calcium" to a snickers is all well and great, but you're still eating a SNICKERS.

I also quoted some research out this month from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Key Findings:

Vending machines were present in elementary (17%), middle (82%) and high schools (97%).

Food items sold separately (a la carte) were found in 71 percent of elementary schools, 92 percent of middle schools and 93 percent of high schools. Of these schools, almost 80 percent provided unhealthy food items in their a la carte options.

The food environment summary score was higher (healthier) in lower grade levels.

The food environment score was not significantly associated with the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch or the percentage of students who belong to a racial/ethnic minority.

I then asked:
What we can learn from foreign countries nutrition policies?-

Britain will ban junk food from school meals and in-school vending machines beginning in September. (Is it possible that we do the same? GASP?!)

In France Many schools already employ their own nutritionist(Registered Dietitian), who works with a parents' committee to ensure lunches provide a healthy, balanced diet.

Much more is spent per meal than in Britain, with a French school lunch costing anything from £1.50 to £4 a head, depending on region. Poorer parents pay only a portion of the total.

And there's no pandering to children's love of pizzas, burgers or chips; these are adult menus served in child-size portions, as the French believe good eating habits start early.

I finished with this from Alice Waters, Today’s American children, “are bombarded with a pop culture which teaches redemption through buying things.” But schoolyard gardens, like the one she helped create at the middle school a few blocks from her home in Berkeley, “turn pop culture upside-down: they teach redemption through a deep appreciation for the real, the authentic, and the lasting—for the things that money can’t buy: the very things that matter most of all if we are going to lead sane, healthy, and sustainable lives. Kids who learn environmental and nutritional lessons through school gardening—and school cooking and eating—learn ethics.”