[PHNUTR-L] Obesity Prevention at School (from CDC)

[Laura Larsson]

Friends:

These tools mentioned below sound useful in our fight to keep the public healthy. More good work from our colleagues at UNC.

Regards,

Laura Larsson
Clinical Faculty
Health Services, University of Washington
larsson at u.washington.edu
Device owner: iPaq 4155, TABLET PC
listowner: PHNUTR-L, PHNURSES, PNWHEALTH, PHSW, PH-INFO, BIRTH23MH, BRIGHTFUTURES-WA
http://courses.washington.edu/hs590a/hs590a.html

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and
write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. "  Alvin Toffler

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 09:50:28 -0400
From: Sheree Thaxton <Sheree.Thaxton at ncmail.net>
To: larsson at u.washington.edu
Subject: announcement to post on your listserve

Laura,

Sarah Kuester at CDC suggested we send this announcement to you to post 
on your Public Health Nutritionists list serve.

Obesity Prevention at School: Standards Set for All Food

RALEIGH, N.C., May 27, 2004--Local school officials will have a new tool 
for preventing obesity in school children. Three state agencies -- the 
North Carolina Division of Public Health, the North Carolina Department 
of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension 
Service -- collaborated to forge nutrition standards for all foods kids 
might find at school.
"Eat Smart: North Carolina's Recommended Standards For All Foods 
Available In School" provides school board members and school 
administrators, child nutrition staff, teachers, parents, students and 
community leaders a benchmark for ensuring that all foods available to 
students during the school day contribute to their nutritional well-being.
"While we teach nutrition in the classroom, that learning remains 
theoretical until we give children the opportunity to practice what 
they've learned in cafeterias, in after-school programs and in classroom 
celebrations," said Lynn Hoggard, a registered dietitian and section 
chief of Child Nutrition Services with the state Department of Public 
Instruction.
"This means classroom parties, for example, might focus on a fun 
activity rather than food. If food is included as part of the 
celebration, coordinating with the child nutrition program to offer 
fruit with a low-fat yogurt dip, or whole grain pizza loaded with 
vegetables, might teach children to try and like new foods, while 
limiting sweets and salty snacks, " Hoggard added.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2003 awarded the state 
Division of Public Health a five-year, nutrition and physical activity 
grant to prevent obesity and chronic disease, such as heart disease, 
cancer and diabetes, in adults and children. The combination of poor 
eating habits and inactive lifestyles will soon overtake tobacco as the 
leading cause of death in the U.S., according to a recent article in the 
Journal of the American Medical Association.
The Eat Smart School Standards document is one of the tools and programs 
that the state-level collaborators are developing to move North 
Carolinians toward healthier eating and more active lifestyles.
    The Eat Smart School Standards document encourages local education 
agencies, with the help of their School Health Advisory Councils, to 
write local policies that will address food offered to students in 
school parties and celebrations, snacks and beverages available in 
vending machines, foods sold as fundraisers and foods sold a la carte in 
cafeterias.
    "Children need to see apples and milk in vending machines," said 
Sherée Thaxton, a registered dietitian with the N.C. Healthy Weight 
Initiative, and co-author of the Eat Smart School Standards. "They need 
to have ready access to fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy. Only two 
percent of kids and teens meet the Food Guide Pyramid's recommendations 
for these important food groups."
    While schools are one avenue for tackling the increasing rates of 
child overweight in North Carolina, they cannot work alone to stem the tide.
    "Families need to be involved, too," said Carolyn Dunn, Ph.D., with 
N.C. Cooperative Extension, and co-author of the standards. "Families 
provide an important foundation for healthy eating, and parents are the 
primary role models that children and teens look to for guidance in 
making smart food choices."
    "Eat Smart: North Carolina's Standards For All Foods Available In 
School" will be available on May 27th, 2004, online at 
www.EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com.
 

-- 
Sherée L. Thaxton, MA, RD, LDN
Healthy Weight Initiative Coordinator
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch
NCDHHS/Division of Public Health
1915 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1915

phone: 	919.715-1928
fax: 	919.715.0433
email: 	sheree.thaxton at ncmail.net
web: 	www.EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com
web:	www.NCHealthyWeight.com