On the Heels of the Child Well-Being Index’s Distressing Findings, Study Would Set Standards to Limit Snacks With Little Nutritional Value, Encourage Healthy Food
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday’s release of a study recommending significant changes in the foods available at schools marked an important step forward in the fight to combat childhood obesity. Released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the report sets nutritional standards to govern foods available to students during the school day and thereafter, with a specific emphasis on “competitive foods,” which are alternative foods available on school campuses. Competitive foods are obtained from snack bars, school stores, vending machines, à la carte cafeteria services, and other sources. The study was conducted by the IOM’s Committee on Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools and the Centers for Disease Control at the request of Congress.
The report organized foods and beverages into two tiers of nutritional values based upon the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The study emphasized a greater daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat/low-fat dairy products for children in schools, and the elimination of any candies, colas, salty snacks, and caffeine available during school hours.
“Last week’s release of the Child Welfare Index showed some distressing trends in the health of children in this country that must be addressed. I applaud all members of the Committee that contributed to the release of this report. It is a great first step towards a fundamental change in the development of our children’s eating habits,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus, bipartisan organization advocating sound policies for the health and well-being of American children. “Congress is also to be commended for its leadership on this issue. Now, they have the responsibility to put these recommendations into law,” he continued.
This announcement comes following a serious development in the American childhood obesity crisis.
Last week, the Foundation for Child Development and Duke University researcher Dr. Kenneth Land released the annual Child Well-Being Index (CWI), a research-based look at the status of children in the United States. The results showed a drastic decline in children’s health, falling to its lowest point in the history of the recorded data, which began in 1975. Further declination has been predicted for 2006. Alarmingly, the report cites childhood obesity as the main cause of the downward spiral, with the number of obese children growing at a pace that has negated improvements in other areas of childhood health.
“A proper diet and daily exercise are the cornerstones a sound policy to combat obesity. With the bulk of a child’s day spent at school, and many staying after school for extracurricular activities, we as parents, legislators, and community leaders should be seizing this opportunity to curb enablers of obesity, which has effects on a child’s health into adulthood,” Lesley continued.